17694 - Structures of Biomolecules

Academic Year 2010/2011

  • Docente: Gian Paolo Serrazanetti
  • Credits: 3
  • SSD: BIO/10
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Veterinary Medicine (cod. 8206)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to give students information about main compounds properties and organic functional groups (aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amines)  since they are biological macromolecules constituents. The student should understand and know the structure, the biological meaning of glucides, lipids, liposoluble vitamines, proteins and nucleic acids for his vocational training. The principles of some of the most common methodologies of chemical and biochemical analysis will be given during the course. These aims represents the condition for the comprehension of biological phenomena at a molecular level.

Course contents

Main elements in living matter. Main mechanisms of organic reactions of biological meaning.  Hydrocarbons - satured, unsatured, aromatic - as precursors of all organic compounds, specially of those related to living matter. Hydroxylic compounds, carbonylic compounds,  carboxylic acids, amines. Heterocyclic compounds. Polifunctional compounds. Glucides and glyco-coniugates, mono-, oligo- and polysaccharides. Lipids, simple and complex, neutral and polar. Amino acids and proteins. I, II, III and IV structure of proteins. Nucleotides and nucleic acids.

Readings/Bibliography

McMurry (2008) CHIMICA ORGANICA. Piccin, Padova

H. Hart, D.J. Hart, L.E. Craine. Chimica organica. Ultima edizione. Zanichelli, Bologna.

Binaglia L., Giardina B. Chimica e Propedeutica biochimica. II edizione. McGraw-Hill, Milano

D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox. Introduzione alla Biochimica di Lehninger. Ultima edizione. Zanichelli, Bologna.

W. Muller-Esterl. Biochimica. Per studenti di Scienze della Vita. Idelson-Gnocchi. Napoli

G. Isani, E. Carpenè. Principi di Biochimica per Medicina Veterinaria. C. Giraldi, Bologna, 2000.

Teaching methods

The course is based mainly on theoretical and some practical lectures

Assessment methods

The final examination consists of a oral test. Possible verifications during the course could be done after an agreement with the students.

 

 

Teaching tools

Blackboard,  overhead projector, videoprojector, PC

Office hours

See the website of Gian Paolo Serrazanetti