Video
Summary: This Protein Purification
video lesson is intended to give students
some insight into the process and tools
that scientists and engineers use to
explore proteins. It is designed to
extend the knowledge of students who
are already somewhat sophisticated and
who have a good understanding of basic
biology. The question that motivates
this lesson is, “what makes two
cell types different?” and this
question is posed in several ways. Such
scientific reasoning raises the experimental
question: how could you study just a
subset of specialized proteins that
distinguish one cell type from another?
Two techniques useful in this regard
are considered in the lesson. This video
lesson will easily fit into a 50-minute
class period, and prerequisites include
a good understanding of cellular components
(DNA vs. Protein vs. lipid) and some
understanding of the physical features
of proteins (charge, size etc). The
simple cell model used here can be assembled
in any kind of container and with any
components of different solubility,
density, charge etc. In-class activities
during the video breaks include discussions,
careful observations, and the use of
a “very simple cell” model
to explore two techniques of protein
purification. Students and teachers
can spend additional time discussing
and exploring the question of “how
we know what we know” since this
lesson lends itself to the teaching
of the process of science as well.
Read
Teacher's
Guide
to this video lesson (download
in Word
or PDF
format)
Download
Written
Transcript of
this video lesson (download in
Word
or PDF
format)
Download
images
used in this video lesson (download
in PowerPoint
format)
Additional
Online Resources:
- This site
provides a collection of interactive
simulations and learning activities
produced using the Molecular Workbench.
All exhibits are the results of calculations
based on scientific principles.
http://mw.concord.org/modeler/index.html
- The mission
of this site, Understanding Science,
is to provide a fun, accessible, and
free resource for teachers that accurately
communicates what science is and how
it really works.
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/
- This site,
Biobuilders, provides activities and
animations for teaching and learning
synthetic biology.
http://biobuilder.org
|
Natalie
Kuldell, PhD
