Recent changes to the ACS-certified bachelor’s degree have called for mandatory instruction in polymers and macromolecules. In order to satisfy this requirement, we have incorporated polymeric themed laboratory exercises throughout our curriculum. One multi-course polymeric project involves the synthesis, characterization, and enzymatic degradation of poly(aspartic acid) (PAA), a biodegradable water-soluble polymer that is of interest because it has the potential to replace less environmentally friendly polymers due to its chemical and physical properties. In our curriculum, students synthesize PAA in organic chemistry and subsequently pass their products to the biochemistry and instrumental laboratories, where it serves as a substrate for poly(aspartic acid) hydrolases (PAAH) biodegradation. In the biochemistry laboratory, students express PAAH in bacteria, purify the protein using a Ni-NTA column, and characterize it by determining unit activity, temperature profiles, and enzyme activity in the presence of inhibitors. In the instrumental laboratory, PAAH degradation efficacy is assessed by characterizing the products with gel-permeation chromatography (GPC). Notably, students gain invaluable experience with techniques that are utilized in both the polymer and pharmaceutical industries. Herein, we describe these biochemistry and instrumental laboratory exercises that will allow students gain in-depth knowledge of a single polymer in a breath of courses.

Poly(Aspartic Acid) PAA in the undergraduate curriculum: A multi-course approach

255th National Meeting (2018)

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