Enzymes are nature's catalysts, mediating chemical processes in living systems. The study of enzyme function and mechanism includes defining the maximum catalytic rate and affinity for substrate/s (among other factors), referred to as enzyme kinetics. Enzyme kinetics is a staple of biochemistry curricula and other disciplines, from molecular and…

Outlines a laboratory exercise that makes use of Beer's Law plots of cysteine constructed at several pH values over a broad range of wavelengths to estimate the tautomeric ratio (R) of two singly charged ionic forms, calculate the microscopic constants, and construct ultraviolet spectra for both light absorbing species. (CW)

Describes an experiment to be performed in an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory that is based on a gradient centrifugation system employing a simple bench top centrifuge, a freezer, and frozen surcose gradient solution to separate macromolecules and subcellular components. (CW)

The ue of hands-on models in teaching protein synthesis, in comparison to traditional expository methods, has been shown to improve the content achievement of biology students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a set of models and the accompanying laboratory exercises in terms of content achievement and attitude toward biology and…

Describes a simple high-performance liquid chromatography experiment for undergraduate biochemistry laboratories. The experiment illustrates the separation of polypeptides by a step gradient elution using a single pump instrument with no gradient attachments. Discusses instrumentation, analysis, a sample preparation, and results. (CW)

Describes an experiment in which students are given a naturally occurring oligosaccharide as an unknown and are asked to determine both its monosaccharide composition and its structure. Discusses methods and experimental techniques including thin layer chromatography and the use of enzymes. (CW)

Reports on a study which was designed to determine if computer assisted instruction (CAI) can be used effectively in biochemical education. Results indicate that CAI in the drill and practice mode and computer simulations had no detrimental effect on the students' academic achievement and the students would like more CAI. (TW)

This study investigated the effects of two sequences of instruction--theory-to-application and application-to-theory--on medical students' cognitive preferences in preclinical science teaching. Results indicate that presenting an example of the clinical application of biochemical theory before presenting the theory itself increased students'…