66364 - Nanobiotechnology and Biocatalytical Applications

Learning outcomes

At the end of the class, the student will have acquired knowledge on nanobiotechnological characterization techniques for biological macromolecules and is aware of the strategies to obtain, design and characterize self-assembled nanostructures made of biomolecules. S/He knows examples of possible or future applications of nanostructures (such as in diagnostics, theerapy, molecular computation). The student also knows about the behavior of nucleic acids in the nanoscale and phenomena such as DNA curvature, flexibility, and their interactions with surfaces. S/He can choose the appropriate nanotechnological characterization technique for the characterization of a biological system of interest. The student knows the enzymatic processes and knows how to apply such knowledge to the solution of biotechnological problems and to the design and enantioselective synthesis of new organic molecules, also in an industrial setting. S/He knows the classification of enzymes and the mechanisms of the six known classes of enzymes and of some subclasses; the stereochemistry of biocatalysis; the use of enzymes in the biological trasformations in use in organic chemistry. More in detail, s/he can plan alternative synthetic routes for an organic molecule using enzymes as biocatalyzers. S/He has knowledge on the properties and synthetic methods for fine chemistry products, such as commercially valuable and chiral molecules and polymers. S/He can design synthetic routes towards optically pure enantiomers; s/he can evaluate the importance of the starting materials for a synthesis and evaluate the praticality of biological synthesis with respect to more 'classical' routes; s/he can choose between using resolution methods or stereoselective syntheses. S/He can plan the synthesis of the main clases of macromolecules and characterize their physico-chemical properties, their processability, their biodegradability.

Course contents

Introduction to biocatalysis: structure and classification of enzymes.  
Structure, catalytical activity and selectivity of the main classes of enzymes Immobilization of enzymes with covalent bonds or entrapment.  
Nanobiotechnological applications of immobilized enzymes 
 The structure of nucleic acids Enzymes that operate on nucleic acids: endonucleases, ligases, isomerases, helicases, polymerases.  
Nucleic acids nanotechnologies.  
Analytical techniques in nanotechnologies. 
The properties of nucleic acids in the nanoscale.   
Proteins and nanotechnologies.  
Synthetic methods for chiral compounds. 
Examples of industrial production of molecules of interest for pharmaceutical of food applications. 
Chain-growth and step-growth polymerization: main addition polymerizations (radicalic or anionic) and poly-condensation (esterification and nucleophilic or electrophilic substitution).  
 Commercial or experimental biodegradable or biocompatible polymers.

Readings/Bibliography

Biocatalysis – ‘Fundamentals and applications' Wiley VCH editor.

K. Faber, ‘Biotransformations in Organic Chemistry'Springer editor.

W. Gerhartz, ‘Enzymes in Industry', VCH editor

Goodsell,  ‘BioNanotechnology'

Bloomfield, Crothers, Tinoco, 'Nucleic Acids, Structure, Properties, and Function'

Gazit 'Plenty of room at the bottom - an introduction to nanobiotechnology'

N. Collins, G. N. Sheldrake, J. Crosby (Eds.), ‘Chirality in Industry (Part I and II)', Wiley, Chichester Ed.Metodi didattici

Teaching methods

Class lectures

Assessment methods

Written test and oral examination

Teaching tools

During the lectures, the students will be provided with teaching materials (papers, etc.). All the presented slides will be made available through the internet or intranet.

Links to further information

http://nanobionano.unibo.it/nanobio.html

Office hours

See the website of Giampaolo Zuccheri

See the website of Alessandra Tolomelli