A course‐based undergraduate research experience investigating p300 bromodomain mutations. Issue 1 (5th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shanle, Erin K.; Tsun, Ian K.; Strahl, Brian D.
• Is Part Of: Biochemistry and molecular biology education. Volume 44:Issue 1(2016:Jan./Feb.)
• Page Start: 68
• Page End: 74
• Publication Date: 2015-11-05
• Subjects: course‐based undergraduate research experience -- protein purification -- peptide pulldown assay -- bromodomain; Biochemistry -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 572.071
• DOI: 10.1002/bmb.20927
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-8175

Abstract

Abstract: Course‐based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide an opportunity for students to engage in experiments with outcomes that are unknown to both the instructor and students. These experiences allow students and instructors to collaboratively bridge the research laboratory and classroom, and provide research experiences for a large number of students relative to traditional individual mentored research. Here, we describe a molecular biology CURE investigating the impact of clinically relevant mutations found in the bromodomain of the p300 transcriptional regulator on acetylated histone interaction. In the CURE, students identified missense mutations in the p300 bromodomain using the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) database and hypothesized the effects of the mutation on the acetyl‐binding function of the domain. They cloned and purified the mutated bromodomain and performed peptide pulldown assays to define its potential to bind to acetylated histones. Upon completion of the course, students showed increased confidence performing molecular techniques and reported positively on doing a research project in class. In addition, results generated in the classroom were further validated in the research laboratory setting thereby providing a new model for faculty to engage in both course‐based and individual undergraduate research experiences. © 2015 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:68–74, 2016.