Chemistry of Biomolecules

This course focuses on the chemistry, i.e. synthesis and reactivity, of peptides and saccharides. The basics of their synthesis will be first reviewed. Specific interactions of metal ions with those biomolecules will be then discussed as they play very important role in their structuration and function and thus in health and medicine.

Skills: Knowledge of the typical protecting groups strategy used in carbohydrates and peptides chemistry / Knowledge of how metals interact with biological ligands / Knowledge about metal toxicity and metal complexes for imaging in medicine.

Details:
I. Carbohydrate Chemistry
Classification, configuration and conformation of monosaccharides / Mutarotation and
anomeric effect / Reactivity of monosaccharides / Selective and orthogonal protection in carbohydrate chemistry / Methods of glycosylation
II. Peptide Chemistry
III. Structure of peptides / Solution- and Solid-phase Peptide synthesis / Boc and Fmoc strategies/ Protecting groups / Synthesis of linear and cyclic peptides
IV. Metals and Biomolecules Speciation and formalism / Gadolinium complexes in MRI / Metallothioneins and heavy metal detoxification / Calcium and lectines, specific carbohydrate-binding proteins / Copper in Wilson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases