Spring Break is March 17-21, 2025. While CSU Online will remain open, please note that many campus services and individuals may experience delays during this time.Spring Break is March 17-21, 2025. While CSU Online will remain open, please note that many campus services and individuals may experience delays during this time.
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Comprehensive Biochemistry I (BC 401) covers the structural biochemistry of nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids at an advanced level. Unit 1 goes through the biochemical alphabet: thermodynamics, water, the hydrophobic effect, and non-covalent interactions. Unit 2 addresses key structural aspects of DNA and RNA. Unit 3 covers the fundamentals of protein architecture: primary, secondary, and tertiary structure. Unit 4 is dedicated to protein structure/function relationships, and includes specific topics such as myoglobin/hemoglobin, enzymes, membranes and membrane proteins, and protein-DNA interactions. The course ends with Unit 5, which describes the structure and function of macromolecular assemblages such as bacterial chaperones, ATP synthase, the ribosome, and the nucleosome.
Upon the completion of BC 401, a successful student will be able to describe and discuss the:
Sophomore standing.
CHEM 245 (Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry) or Modern Organic Chemistry II or concurrent registration or Organic Chemistry II or concurrent registration; MATH 155 (Calculus for Biological Scientists I) or MATH 160 (Calculus for Physical Scientists I)
Please check the CSU Bookstore for textbook information. Textbook listings are available at the CSU Bookstore about 3 weeks prior to the start of the term.
Dr. Andrew Tonsager received his BS and MS in Biochemistry at Iowa State University. He went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Biochemistry here at Colorado State University where he investigated the role of histone chaperones in preserving the eukaryotic chromatin landscape in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Following his doctoral work, he accepted a faculty position within the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where he teaches introductory lecture courses in genetics and cell biology.