CHIMICA BIOORGANICA

The course aims to provide the student with specialist knowledge on some of the topics commonly dealt with by Bio-Organic chemistry.

- The most recent developments in the field of the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides and proteins.
- Biopharmacological properties of normal or modified antisense oligonucleotides, as well as the use of oligonucleotides in the field of RNA-interference.
- Mechanistic aspects in the working of some enzymes. Enzymatic biotechnologies.
- The role of substrate-receptor interactions in the field of pharmacologically active natural compounds.

Preliminary notions for the study of bio-organic chemistry.

Bioisostery; proximity effects in organic chemistry; molecular adaptation.

Bio-organic chemistry of amino acids.

General properties; dissociation behavior; alkylation; acylation; asymmetric syntheses of amino acids.

Bioorganic chemistry of peptides.

Modern methods for the solid phase synthesis of oligopeptides;

Chemical synthesis of proteins;

Particular aspects of the "non-ribosomal" biological synthesis of oligopeptides;

The depsipeptides and the ionophores.

Bioorganic chemistry of the phosphoric group and oligonucleotides.

Hydrolytic pathways of the phosphoric group and pseudorotation;

Enzymatic catalysis for the hydrolysis of the phosphodiester bridge: the ribonucleases;

Synthesis in solution of oligonucleotides;

Solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotides;

Liquid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides (HELP);

Advanced methods of chemical synthesis of oligo- and polynucleotides without the use of base protector groups;

Synthesis of oligonucleotides by chemical ligation.

Antisense nucleotides, and lipo-modified antisense nucleotides;

The new horizons of "RNA-interference".

Enzyme technologies

Immobilized enzymes: immobilization techniques on various organic and inorganic supports; enzymatic biotechnologies for preserving the native structure of enzymes;

The use of immobilized enzymes in the synthesis of organic molecules of pharmaceutical interest.

Enzymatic reactions in non-aqueous solvents.

Enzyme models.

From micelles to liposomes: mono- and multilamellar liposomes: techniques used for their preparation and characterization; their use in the pharmacological field.

Triggered-release liposomes and their pharmacological potential. Liposomes as chemical reactors; Molecular devices. Nanocapsules as Drug delivery systems.

- H. Dugas, Bioorganic Chemistry (3rd ed.) Springer, New York

- M. Page and A. Williams, Organic & Bio-0rganic Mechanisms, Longman, Singapore.