The Disruptive Effect of Lysozyme on the Bacterial Cell Wall Explored by an "In-Silico" Structural Outlook

Autor/inn/en	Primo, Emiliano D.; Otero, Lisandro H.; Ruiz, Francisco; Klinke, Sebastián; Giordano, Walter
Titel	The Disruptive Effect of Lysozyme on the Bacterial Cell Wall Explored by an "In-Silico" Structural Outlook
Quelle	In: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 46 (2018) 1, S.83-90 (8 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Primo, Emiliano D.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1470-8175
DOI	10.1002/bmb.21092
Schlagwörter	Cytology; Microbiology; Biochemistry; Science Instruction; Scientific Concepts; Undergraduate Students; Computer Assisted Instruction; Laboratories; Molecular Structure; Computer Simulation; Models; Visualization + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Zytologie; Mikrobiologie; Biochemie; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Computer based training; Computerunterstützter Unterricht; Laboratory; Laboratorium; Computergrafik; Computersimulation; Analogiemodell; Visualisation; Visualisierung
Abstract	The bacterial cell wall, a structural unit of peptidoglycan polymer comprised of glycan strands consisting of a repeating disaccharide motif [N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramylpentapeptide (NAM pentapeptide)], encases bacteria and provides structural integrity and protection. Lysozymes are enzymes that break down the bacterial cell wall and disrupt the bacterial life cycle by cleaving the linkage between the NAG and NAM carbohydrates. Lab exercises focused on the effects of lysozyme on the bacterial cell wall are frequently incorporated in biochemistry classes designed for undergraduate students in diverse fields as biology, microbiology, chemistry, agronomy, medicine, and veterinary medicine. Such exercises typically do not include structural data. We describe here a sequence of computer tasks designed to illustrate and reinforce both physiological and structural concepts involved in lysozyme effects on the bacterial cell-wall structure. This lab class usually lasts 3.5 hours. First, the instructor presents introductory concepts of the bacterial cell wall and the effect of lysozyme on its structure. Then, students are taught to use computer modeling to visualize the three-dimensional structure of a lysozyme in complex with bacterial cell-wall fragments. Finally, the lysozyme inhibitory effect on a bacterial culture is optionally proposed as a simple microbiological assay. The computer lab exercises described here give students a realistic understanding of the disruptive effect of lysozymes on the bacterial cell wall, a crucial component in bacterial survival. . (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01