Teaching Protein–Ligand Interactions Using a Case Study on Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease

Case studies are helpful teaching tools that can bring scientific concepts to life. Here, we present a case study related to protein-ligand interactions, amino acids, protein structure, and protein modification. While protein-ligand interaction is a foundational concept within Biochemistry, there are few available case studies that focus on this topic. This case study guides students through the scientific thought process and experimental order that could be used to answer questions regarding the role of tau in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease, based on realistic interactions of tau and microtubules. This case study was trialed in multiple contexts: in a single class period in a one-semester Biochemistry class for nonmajors and as an at-home assignment in a two-semester Biochemistry sequence for Biochemistry majors. A survey of student responses indicate that this case study was helpful in improving student creative problem-solving and student understanding of real-world applications related to protein-ligand interactions.