Bioinorganic Chemistry

Metal complexes with biological ligands, Activation of O-O bond, spectroscopic studies with UV-Vis, EPR, CD, IR and Raman spectroscopy. Copper containing proteins: Type 1 and Type 2 mononuclear sites; mono- and dioxygenases; multicopper "blue" oxidases; nitrite reductase; N2O reductase, superoxide dismutase. Copper complexes as models for enzymatic systems. Zinc proteins: biological role of zinc, carbonic anhydrase, carboxy and aminopeptidases, phosphatise, zinc fingers. Cobalamins, vitamin and coenzyme B12. Molybdenum, Tungsten, Vanadium and Manganese enzymes.
Metal ion uptake and transport, in particular transferrins and ferritin. Tetrapyrrolic ligands. Heme a, b and c. Myoglobin and hemoglobin. Cooperativity in hemoglobin. T and R states. Model compounds for oxygen transport. NMR of paramagnetic species. 1H NMR paramagnetic spectra of high- and low-spin metmyoglobins. Electron transfer. Marcus theory. Typical redox potentials. Cytochromes a, b and c. Cyt P450 superfamily: structure and catalytic cycle of CytP450cam. Wild type e engineered Cyt P450 in the synthesis of fine chemicals, in analytical chemistry, in the study of the metabolismo of putative drugs, in therapy. Detoxification of hydrogen peroxide: the peroxidase superfamily (HRP, CcP, CPO, catalase, mieloperoxidase, COX-1, lactoperoxidase). Iron-oxo proteins: hemeritrin, ribonucleotide-riductase, methane monooxigenase, purple acid phosphatases. Iron-sulfur proteins: rubredoxin, [2Fe-2S], [4Fe-4S], [3Fe-4S] clusters. Rieske centers and HiPIP's. Aconitase. Mitochondrial respiration: the metal ions in complex I, II, III (complex bc1) and, in particular, in complex IV (Cyt c Oxidase). Nitrogenase. Fe-Fe and Fe-Ni hydrogenases. Nickel enzymes. Paramagnetic complexes as contrast agents in MRI. Coordination complexes and functionalized inorganic nanoparticles for applications in therapy and diagnosis.