2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Undergraduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
Biopolymer Chemistry
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Toshiki Sawada
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- CAP.Y305
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
It has been a dream of mankind to mimic the excellent functional performance of biopolymers in vivo by synthetic polymer systems. Recently, it has been partly realized by the development of “biomimetic” or “bioinspired” materials, nevertheless it is still extraordinarily challenging matter. In the course toward the relevant advances area of students who studied fundamental polymer science, they could obtain many valuables from the biopolymers. Students in this course should comprehend that the remarkable functionalities of biopolymers never emerge in vacuo but are affected via interactions with small molecules such as water and lipids.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Explain the variation and structure of components of proteins, nucleic acids, and polysaccharides.
2) Explain how the intra- and intermolecular interactions are involved with the structure and functional performance of proteins, nucleic acids, and polysaccharides.
3) Explain the variation and structure of lipids and properties of bilayer membrane.
4) Explain the variation and properties of enzymes and the reaction mechanisms.
Keywords
electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bond, van der Waals interaction, hydrophobic effect, higher order structure, ordered assembly, hydrogel formation, Michaelis-Menten mechanism
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Each class is conducted by using relevant materials which are available from OCW-i. A 15- or 20-minutes exam and the explanation will be given in the middle of each class. At the beginning of the next class, further explanations may be added depending on the students’ understanding.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Interactions of biopolymers in an aqueous phase | Explain the intermolecular interactions in an aqueous phase |
| Class 2 | Amino acids and (poly)peptides | Explain the relation between the amino acid structures and conformational structures of (poly)peptides in terms of the relevant interactions. |
| Class 3 | Three-dimensional structures and functions of proteins | Explain functional expression of proteins based on their three-dimensional structures |
| Class 4 | Nucleic acids and their structural stabilization based on duplex formation | Explain interactions contributed to stabilization of the duplex formation. |
| Class 5 | Functional properties of polysaccharides based on their structural diversities and molecular assembly of lipids based on their amphophilic properties | Explain how the structure and function of polysaccharides are derived from varieties of monosaccharides and the intermolecular interactions, and the variation and determination factors for the assembly of lipids. |
| Class 6 | Enzymes -Molecular recognition-based selective chemical reactions- | Explain the variation, the determinant factors for the assembly, Explain the variation of enzymes, the mechanisms of catalytic and inhibitory reactions, and polymerization mechanisms for biopolymers.and the membrane transport mechanisms. |
| Class 7 | Final exercise and term-end test | Total understanding of biopolymers on the basis of intermolecular interactions |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
John E. McMurry Organic Chemistry 8th edition ISBN-13: 978-0840054449 John E. McMurry Organic Chemistry 9th edition ISBN-13:
978-0073402741
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Those reference materials are available at T2SCHOLA.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' knowledge on the fundamental structures and properties of biomolecules, and the relation with the various interactions are assessed. 15 minutes exams (20%) + final exam (80%)
Related courses
- Every kind of physical chemistry and polymer science
Prerequisites
It is desirable that students have take the following classes; Physical Chemistry I-III, Polymer Physics I, II, Polymer Chemistry I, II.