Explore the biochemistry of hemoglobin and the relationship of the structure and function of hemoglobin to the structure and function of human red blood cells. Students can play the role of a biochemist by using techniques such as gel electrophoresis, peptide sequencing, and computer modeling to study hemoglobin structure. Or they can be molecular biologists, and study the relationship between the DNA sequence, polypeptide sequence, and structure of hemoglobin. The purpose of this laboratory is to:

• Study the structure and function of hemoglobin, the oxygen-transporting protein in human red blood cells.

• Examine the effects of mutations in the globin gene on hemoglobin structure and human red blood cell structure.

• Demonstrate biochemical techniques that can be used to study protein structure.

• Investigate the process of translation by studying the effects of DNA sequence change on the peptide produced using computer modeling.