Course

Unit 1: Reactive Oxygen Species and Macrocyclic Ligands[7 h]Essential elements in biological systems, transport of ions across biological membranes, active and passive transport. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), generation and function of free radicals, action of ROS in biological systems, oxidative stress and antioxidants. Structure of macrocyclic ligand (porphine and corrin). Hydroporphyrins (H2P) and metalloporphyrins (MP) – spectral, fluorescence and redox properties. Chemistry of Chlorophyl. Unit 2: Uptake, Transport and Storage of Oxygen and Iron [10 h]Myoglobin (Mb) and haemoglobin (Hb) – prosthetic groups and functions, mechanism for reversible binding of O2. Cooperative effect in Hb and its consequences. Behaviour of bound O2 to Fe(II). Difference between O2 and CO binding to Hb and Mb and CN? poisoning. Sickle-cell anaemia. Picket-fence porphyrin and its special features. Haemerythrin and haemocyanin structure, functions, O2 binding and electron transfer. Fe-S and other non-haeme iron proteins, ferredoxins – structure and special properties. Uptake, transport and storage of iron – transferrin, ferritin, siderophores and enterobactin. Unit 3: Metalloenzymes I[12 h]Structure, properties and reaction mechanism of catalases, peroxidases – glutathione peroxidase, HRP and cytochrome C peroxidase, cytochromes – cytochrome P-450, cytochrome C-oxidase and monooxygenases. Electron transport in biology, electron transport chain. Structure and enzymatic reaction mechanisms of superoxide dismutase and tyrosinase. Copper containing enzymes – azurin, plastocyanin – structure and function. Type I, II and III copper proteins. Zinc containing enzymes – carbonic anhydrase, carboxy peptidase – structure and enzymatic reactions. Vitamin B12 nomenclature, structure, enzymatic reaction and its model compounds. Unit 4: Metalloenzymes II[7 h]N2 fixation, nitrogenase enzyme, Fe-S clusters, Fe-protein structure, Mo-Fe protein structure, P-cluster and M-centre. Bioinorganic Chemistry of photosynthesis (PS-I and PSII). Role of Mn, Ni, Mo and Cr in biological systems.Unit 5: Metals in Medicine [9 h]Metal ion based (V, Fe, Au and Pt) drugs and anticancer agents. Cis-platin and its properties. Chelation therapy, macrocyclic antibiotics, therapeutic complexes, DNA intercalators and diagnostic agents. Photodynamic therapy – principles and applications. Natural and synthetic ionophores and crown ethers – interaction and uptake of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal ions with crown ethers, cryptands, cryptates, calixarenes and cyclodextrins. Metal toxicity and homeostasis. Diseases caused by both excess and deficiency of metal ions, thalassaemia, Wilson disease. Heavy metal toxicity mercury, arsenic and chromium poisoning.

CO1: apply the principles of coordination and organometallic chemistry in the interpretation of biological functions.CO2: Predict the interaction of specific metal ions with biological environments.CO3: Explicate how the nature adapts certain properties of metal centres for specific applications and its role in metalloenzymes for catalysing reactions that are energetically and stereo selectively difficult.CO4: Describe the mechanism of metalloenzymes by applying the suitable spectroscopic and other analytical techniques.CO5 Explain the role of metal ions as diagnostic and therapeutic agent and the mechanism of metal toxicity.

Recommended Readings 1.Bertini, I., Gray, H.B., Lippard, S.J. and Valentine, J.S., 2007. Bioinorganic chemistry. University science books. 2.Stephen J. L, Jeremy M. B, 1994. Principles of bioinorganic Chemistry, University Science Books.3.Greenwood, N.N. and Earnshaw, A., 2012. Chemistry of the Elements. Elsevier.4.Bertini, G., Gray, H.B., Gray, H., Valentine, J.S., Stiefel, E.I. and Stiefel, E., 2007. Biological inorganic chemistry: structure and reactivity. University Science Books.5.Da Silva, J.F. and Williams, R.J.P., 2001. The biological chemistry of the elements: the inorganic chemistry of life. Oxford University Press.6.Berg, J.M., Tymoczko, J.L. and Stryer, L., 2002. Biochemistry.