Applying Symmetries of Common Objects to Help Students Understand Stereoselectivity for Apparently Symmetric Substrates

Autor/inn/en	Jittam, Piyachat; Ruenwongsa, Pintip; Panijpan, Bhinyo
Titel	Applying Symmetries of Common Objects to Help Students Understand Stereoselectivity for Apparently Symmetric Substrates
Quelle	In: Bioscience Education, 12 (2008), Artikel 6 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1479-7860
DOI	10.3108/beej.12.6
Schlagwörter	Biochemistry; Geometry; Science Education; Molecular Biology + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Biochemie; Geometrie; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Molekularbiologie
Abstract	We have found it an effective way of teaching symmetry in the context of stereoselectivity, to use common everyday objects with the same point groups as the substrates involved. This has helped students to distinguish between those symmetry elements which allow for stereospecificity and those which preclude it. Two symmetry elements, the simple rotation axis and the mirror plane, are needed to explain the equivalence (or its absence) between atoms or groups in the substrate while interacting with the chiral enzyme. We have used familiar objects such as blackboard erasers, scissors and purses to illustrate the point group symmetry of substrates such as ethanol, citrate, succinate and fumarate and the interaction between the EcoRI restriction enzyme and the EcoRI-DNA palindromic complex. (Contains 5 figures.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Centre for Bioscience, The Higher Education Academy. Room 9.15, Worsley Building, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT United Kingdom. Tel: +44-113-343-3001; Fax: +44-113-343-5894; e-mail: beej@leeds.ac.uk; Website: http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/journal
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10