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Intrinsically disordered proteins and complex multidomain proteins are characterized by a dynamic ensemble of conformations that cannot be unequivocally described by traditional static terms of structural biology. The functional importance of this structural complexity necessitates new standards and protocols for the description and deposition of such 'supertertiary' structural ensembles into structural databases.
Renewed interest in the biological significance and applied outcomes of metabolism is moving the field from static biochemical charts to multidimensional networks.
Learning metabolism inevitably involves memorizing pathways. The teacher's challenge is to motivate memorization and to help students progress beyond it. To this end, students should be taught a few fundamental chemical reaction mechanisms and how these are repeatedly used to achieve pathway goals. Pathway knowledge should then be reinforced through quantitative problems that emphasize the relevance of metabolism to bioengineering and medicine.
