This project was prepared as part of a BioQUEST faculty development workshop entitled BioQUEST Summer Workshop 2006: Exploring Complex Data Sets at Beloit College in June 2006. The BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium is committed to the reform of undergraduate biology instruction through an emphasis on engaging students in realistic scientific practices. This approach is sometimes characterized as an inquiry driven approach and is captured in BioQUEST's three P's (problem-posing, problem-solving, and peer-persuasion). As part of this workshop groups of faculty were encouraged to initiate innovative curricular projects. We are sharing these works in progress in the hope that they will stimulate further exploration, collaboration and development. Please see the following links for additional information:
High School (AP) and College (Intro through upper-level).
We presented a 1-hour workshop on protein folding. It began with a PowerPoint presentation of the major issues in protein folding. We then did a demonstration of 3-d protein structure by looking at the structure of lysozyme and searching for ionic bonds between side chains. We then used a 2-d simulation of protein folding called the "Protein Investigator" which allows the user to enter amino acid sequences which are then folded in 2 dimensions. A screenshot is shown below:
- Power point presentation describing protein folding.
- Web link to lysozyme page.
- Screenshot of Protein Investigator.
- Protein Investigator website where you can download Protein Investigator.
Further development of 3-d presentations and the Protein Investigator.