2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Life Science and Technology Undergraduate major in Life Science and Technology
Advanced biological inorganic chemistry
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Life Science and Technology
- Instructor(s)
- Toshiaki Kamachi / Takafumi Ueno / Noriyuki Asakura
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LST.A338
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course will teach you the role of metal ions in the biological processes and in the medical applications. You will learn molecular level function and structure in the metal ion related reactions. Following the brief overview, you will understand the role of metal ions in oxidoreductase, atom and group-transfer reaction, electron transfer, and homeostasis of metal ions in biological system.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Explain structure and function of metal ions in oxidoreductase
2. Explain importance of electron transfer reaction in biological system.
3. Explain medical application of metal ions.
4. Explain homeostasis of metal ions in biological system
Keywords
bioinorganic chemistry, oxidoreductase, electron transfer, metals in medicine, homeostasis of metals
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
（１）At the beginning of each class, the previous class is reviewed, then the essential points of this class are shown as exercise
problems.
（２）Towards the end of class, students are given exercise problems related to what is taught on the begining of class to solve as
needed.
（３）Before coming to class, students should read the course outcomes and check what topics will be covered. Required learning
should be completed outside of the classroom for preparation and review purposes.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Overview of Bioinorganic chemistry, dioxygen transfer protein | Understand the mechanism of dioxygen transfer protein |
| Class 2 | dioxygen binding mechanism | Understand the mechanism of dioxygen to metal ions |
| Class 3 | Peroxidase | Understand the role of metal ions in peroxidase |
| Class 4 | Catalase & Monooxygenase | Understand the role of metal ions in catalase and monooxygenase |
| Class 5 | Mn-oxidoreductase | Understand the role of metal ions in Mn-oxidoreductase |
| Class 6 | Group and atom transer | Understand the role of metal ions in group or atom transfer |
| Class 7 | Summary and midterm exam of class #1-#6 | Test level of understanding of the first part of the course |
| Class 8 | Electron transfer I | Understand the reaction mechanism of electron transfer |
| Class 9 | Electron transfer II | Understand the reaction mechanism of electron transfer |
| Class 10 | Electron transfer III | Understand the reaction mechanism of electron transfer |
| Class 11 | Uptake and storage of metal ions | Understand the uptake and storage of metal ions in cell |
| Class 12 | Regulation of metal ions concentration and its application | Understand the regulation of metal ions concentration and its application |
| Class 13 | Insertion of metal ions to protein | Understand the insertion of metal ions to protein |
| Class 14 | Summary and final exam of class #8-#13 | Test level of understanding of the second half of the course |
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)
Basic Bioinorganic Chemistry
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Biophysical Chemistry（ISBN-9784759811407）
Bioinorganic Chemistry （ISBN-10: 4782704836）
Bioinorganic Chemistry （ISBN-10: 4807904574）
The Biological Chemistry of the Elements: The Inorganic Chemistry of Life (ISBN-0198555989)
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' course scores are based on midterm and final exams. Final exam will be held in the class room but according to the COVID-19 conditions, this might be changed.
Related courses
- LST.A247 ： Basic bioinorganic chemistry
- LST.A201 ： Physical Chemistry I
Prerequisites
Understanding of LST.A247: Basic bioinorganic chemistry is required.