Students are to select an enzyme of industrial interest. It may be an enzyme which is part of a commercial product or it may be an enzyme which is part of a manufacturing process. Enzymes which do not apparently fall into one of these two areas may also be selected after approval of the course instructor. DO NOT SELECT AN ENZYME OF ONLY RESEARCH INTEREST.
Your task is to complete a report on the selected enzyme, and the paper will be completed in TWO PARTS. I will provide students with feedback on PART 1 after it is completed. A revised PART 1 (incorporating my comments) will be combined with the (new) PART 2 to turn in a completed report.
PART 1: Write about 4 pages with the following information about your selected enzyme:
1) Introduction (about 1/2 - 1 page) - Introduce the enzyme, its discovery, use and the reaction it mediates in general terms (i.e., A + B --> C + D). You should include its size and chemical properties.
2) Structure (about 2 - 3 pages) - Describe structural aspects of the enzyme, such as the key residues present in the active site. Are there important inhibitors and how do they interact with the enzyme and its active site? Are there possible modifications that could be made to alter the specificity of the enzyme? If the same enzyme is found from different sources, what structural features distinguish these enzymes?
PART 2: Modify the first two sections based on input received. Additionally, write an additional 4 pages with the following information about your selected enzyme, turning in a complete report:
3) Kinetics (about 2-3 pages) - Discuss what is known about the kinetic properties of the enzyme, such as KM and kCAT. Does the enzyme follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics? Do modifications in the enzyme (i.e., amino acid sequence) alter the kinetic parameters?
4) Applications (about 1 page) - Discuss how the enzyme is used. What is the enzyme, and different versions of it, used for?
The report should be double-spaced, 1-inch margins, and Times-New Roman 12 pt font throughout. Have a separate title page with the enzyme name, your name and course name (does not count toward page tally indicated above). Figures/Tables are expected, but do not count toward page tally indicated above. Through your report, keep in mind that this is an "engineering" course. Therefore, your report should highlight those aspects of the enzyme that are relevant to engineers. The report should be technical...which means where appropriate it should be quantitative rather than just descriptive. You may be able to perform calculations with the information you have that lead you to cost estimates. Do not merely provide a bulleted list of items: the document must be your own critical assessment of the enzyme.
Your report must have detailed references. You should consider including appropriate commercial references such as patents and technical specification sheets from manufacturers of enzymes. You are encouraged to seek input from the manufacturers and consumers of your selected enzyme. However, do not merely regurgitate information provided on a commercial website: the document must be your own critical assessment of the enzyme. You should view all information with appropriate skepticism. Be very careful with the use of references: a citation should be placed at the location in the text where you are refering to that work, and it should be relevant to your text!
For advice on the preparation of a written report see Preparation of written reports.