790397 Protein engineering


Type
Lecture
Semester hours
3
Lecturer (assistant)
Wozniak-Knopp, Gordana , Peterbauer, Clemens Karl , Wick, Cecilia
Organisation
Offered in
Wintersemester 2024/25
Languages of instruction
Englisch

Content

•Antibodies
•Vaccines
•Influenza / HIV / HPV
•Difficult-to-express proteins
•Fusion proteins
•Recombinant Allergens
•High throughput screening / microfluidics
•Enzyme evolution
•Technology of library construction
•Design of alternative binding scaffolds

Previous knowledge expected

Basic knowledge in molecular biology and biochemistry
Protein structure and function

Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

Lecture 1: Antibodies
Learning objectives:
-To describe the antibody fold, antibody domain structure and molecular architecture
-To define the beneficial biological properties of antibodies and relate them to molecular structure
-To comment on the importance of antibody-based therapeutics in present times

Lectures 2 and 3: anti-viral Vaccines
Learning objectives:
-To describe various approaches how protein engineering helps to design better vaccines
-To introduce rational, computational, and combinatorial strategies for vaccine design
-To define the requirements for successful vaccines and how these can be met by protein engineering approaches
-To discuss and understand selected examples for vaccines that are based on protein engineering

Lecture 4: Difficult-to-express proteins
Learning objectives:
-To describe the properties of Difficult-to-express proteins as well as their role as therapeutic targets
-To evaluate various approaches and methods to improve solubility, folding, enable crystallization and prevent aggregation and formation of inclusion bodies

Lecture 5: Fusion proteins
Learning objectives:
-To comment on the advantages of fusion proteins intended for therapeutic purposes, bioanalytics and industrial applications
-To compare different designs of fusion proteins and corresponding tags
-To discuss challenges in expression, production and analytics of fusion proteins

Lecture 6: Recombinant Allergens
Learning objectives:
-To describe and compare the molecular structures of allergens
-To comment on molecular allergen immunotherapy vs. allergen extract based AIT
-To deliver an up to date view of recombinant allergens for treatment and allergen-specific prevention


Lecture 7: High throughput screening / microfluidics
Learning objectives:
- To understand the principal characteristics of enzyme activity assays: localization of enzyme, nature of substrate and product, detectable and quantifyable molecules
- Knowledge of factors that influence the detection of a product/byproduct/secondary product of an enzymatic reaction and its link to the genotype

Lecture 8: Enzyme evolution
Learning objectives:
- To understand the drivers of evolution of enzyme activity: mutation and recombination, selective pressure, trade-offs between stability and dynamics
- To describe the acquisition of novel functions and reactivities

Lecture 9 and 10: Technology of library construction
Learning objectives:
-To describe the concept of library display and selection
-To compare various library display systems
-To choose a proper mutagenesis method for the intended protein modification
-To design a selection process protocol for the desired change of protein function

Lecture 11: Design of alternative binding scaffolds
Learning objectives:
-To identify the key properties of a functional binding scaffold
-To implement the knowledge on protein structure in designing a binding surface
-To apply the principles of library selection methods to the design of a binding scaffold
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.