What knowledge have you connected with past knowledge?

Biochemistry has been a slightly more indepth discussion of topics that I have previously learned in other courses. In our last lecture, the discussion of enzymes and how they form an enzyme substrate complex with a particular substrate was discussed immensely in my General Microbiology course that I took last semester. Another section of this course that I have linked with another course was when talking about amino acids, and how tryptophan make us sleepy when we eat meat. I had learned about this is Anatomy and Physiology, but what I did not know was that the tryptophan is actually converted into serotonin. The information that is new to me so far in Biochemistry is the Michaelis - Menten Kinetics. I have never used this before, but considering it involves math, I think that I will understand it fairly well.

Find a protein using PDB explorer - describe your protein, including what disease state or other real - world application it has.

The image to the left is an octameric form of the Ebola Virus Matrix Protein Vp40. This specific protein in crucial for the assembly and budding of virus particles. This octamer binds to an RNA triribonucleotide containing the sequence 5" - U - G - A - 3" through it inner pore. SDS - resistant octameric Vp40 is found in Ebola infected cells, suggesting Vp40 has a function in the virus life cycle as well as promoting virus assembly and budding off of the plasma membrane. This protein contains alpha helices, two subunits, therefore showing quaternary structure and antiparallel beta pleated sheets.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Structure/mmdb/mmdbsrv.cgi?Dopt=s&uid=72223&log$=seqview_protein_structuread_title