Descriptif

Contributions of biochemistry and cryoEM to the study of translayion mechanisms. Lecturers: Emmanuelle Schmitt, Pierre-Damien Coureux, Yves Mechulam, Thomas Gaillard; 6 ECTS; 70 hours; lab and lectures.

The program of the teaching unit is organized over two weeks at the Biochemistry laboratory of Ecole Polytechnique. During the first week, you will conduct a mini research project aimed at characterizing the active site of an essential enzyme protein and performing a thorough study of the function of several amino acids in catalysis. The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the experimental approach used to carry out a research project, to discover new methods, to discuss the validity of the use of these methods, their advantages and their limits. This course therefore provides useful tools in all areas of the molecular study of biological processes. During the second week you will attend a series of seminars directly related to the experimental study of the first week. A half-day will be devoted to the use of computer tools for the study of the phylogeny of RNAs and proteins and for the engineering of protein: ligand interactions. Finally, three days will be devoted to electron microscopy applied to ribosomal complexes. You will be introduced to the preparation of samples for microscopy and electronic cryo-micoscopy, you will be able to observe the grids prepared on one of the two microscopes available at Ecole Polytechnique. Finally, you will also be introduced to the collection and processing of cryo-electron microscopy images to obtain the three-dimensional structure of your object of study. The advantages and limitations of this technique will be discussed throughout this training.