Enzyme technology (2024)
Course manager
Samuel McEwen Walsh
Semester schedule
Autumn (13-week period)
ECTS
5
Language of instruction
English
Course type
Compulsory
Qualifications
Competences corresponding to participation in the course Biochemistry are recommended.
Objectives
The objective of the course is to provide students with an understanding of enzymes, as they are produced and applied in biotechnological and chemical engineering industries.
Content
- Classification of enzymes
- Enzyme kinetics
- The influence of pH, temperature, ion strength, inhibitors, etc. on the velocity of an enzyme-catalysed reaction
- Enzyme stability
- Enzyme production and purification
- Application of enzymes in solution
- Application of immobilized enzymes
The purpose of the laboratory element (corresponding to 1.5 ECTS) of the course is to entrench an understanding of enzyme catalysed process stages and reactions in an industrial context.
Learning targets
On completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:
Knowledge
- Describe important technological applications of industrial enzymes
- Describe the principles behind application of solubilized or immobilized enzymes in batch reactions or reactors and assess the advantages and disadvantages of the two techniques
Skills
- Explain the impact of temperature and pH on enzymes' stability and reaction kinetics
- Apply Michaelis-Menten-based enzyme kinetics in the determination of reaction rates
- Apply statistical calculations and assessments to enzyme kinetic data
- Explain enzyme purification strategies
Competences
- Classify an enzyme in compliance with international standards
- Calculate enzyme kinetic parameters, Vmax and KM, on the basis of experimental data
- Calculate and explain the influence of enzyme inhibitors on rate and yield
- Analyse and assess experimental enzyme kinetic data from scientific literature
- Interpret and explain Python code used to analyse enzyme kinetic data
Teaching method
Seminars and laboratory exercises
Qualifications for examination participation
- Participation in laboratory exercises and acceptance of associated mandatory papers.
All course work shall be executed and submitted pursuant to guidelines set out by the course manager.
Examination and aids
Written examination. Duration of examination: 2 hours.
Permitted aids: Paper materials including, but not limited to, textbooks, notes and laboratory reports. A scientific calculator.
Language of examination will be English
The form of examination at a 2and and 3rd attempt may vary from the above.
Marking
External
Grading
The 7-pont grading scale