Assignments

Students are required to critically evaluate the weekly topical article(s) and, taking it in turn, present a synopsis for about 10 minutes on some key of the papers.

Assignment 1

Topics for the 10-minute presentation about acyclic isoprenoids as biomarkers.

• Acyclic isoprenoid biosynthesis
• What are the oldest acyclic isoprenoid fossils
• Acyclic isoprenoids in petroleum
• Acyclic isoprenoids in contemporary algae
• Acyclic isoprenoids derived from plants
• Acyclic isoprenoids derived from Bacteria
• Acyclic isoprenoids from metazoa

Assignment 2

Topics for the 10-minute presentation revolve around the broad topic of bacterial hopanoids. Choose from, but do not be limited to:

• Hopanoid biosynthesis
• Isotopic compositions of bacteriohopanoids
• Diagenesis of hopanoids in anoxic environments
• Hopanoid stereochemistry
• Hopanoids as paleoenvironmental proxies
• Distinctions between bio- and geo- hopanoids

Assignment 3

For the 10-minute per person discussion choose from the following or invent your own:

• Sterols a membrane components
• Sterols as signalling molecules
• Steroid biosynthesis as an oxygen sensor
• Animal sterols
• Sterol biosynthesis in invertebrates
• Sterols of fungi
• Steranes as proxies for paleoenvironment