A tale of two nutritional targets: Studies of molecular structure and pedagogy
Item
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Title
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A tale of two nutritional targets: Studies of molecular structure and pedagogy
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:3a9ab494417d:11258
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identifier
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11602
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Creator
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Sarkar, Sayantani,
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Contributor
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Ruth E. Stark
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Date
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2012
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Biochemistry | Nutrition | LFABP | ligand | NMR | pedagogy | tomato
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Abstract
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Nutrition is one of the allied branches of biochemistry. Numerous nutritional targets in lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis are widely studied in biochemical research. For instance, liver fatty acid-binding protein is an important player in lipid metabolism. In this dissertation, two nutritional targets: physiological liver fatty acid-binding protein (LFABP) and natural tomato were studied from basic research and pedagogical perspectives. Three different projects were undertaken involving LFABP and tomato. (1) In the first project, solution state NMR was used to investigate ligand binding to LFABP. Oleate and linoleate exhibited moderately different binding locations in spite of apparently similar binding stoichiometries to LFABP. Additionally, oleate liganded holo LFABP showed chemical shift perturbations in presence of the anticoagulant drug warfarin, indicative of possible competition between oleate and warfarin as ligands of LFABP. However, reported claims of glucose and phytanic acid as ligands of LFABP could not be validated by solution state NMR. (2) In the second project, the basic research protocol concerning LFABP inspired a redesign of the City College undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course with an aim to incorporate a "research-inspired" module involving a new in-silico exercise. (3) In the third project, basic physical and spectroscopic research techniques used to study biopolymers in tomato were used to develop an adaptable suite of chemistry experiments for undergraduate and high school students. Both curricula were successfully tested on undergraduate and high school students in a cost effective fashion, demonstrating the feasibility of their implementation.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Biochemistry
