00061 - Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

During the course the student should aquire the knowledge of the basic molecular processes characterizing the cell functions. Firstly the student will approach the chemical structure of biomolecules. Afterwards, cellular metabolism  and energy production will be explored. A special attention is given to bioenergetics and metabolism of muscle cells. Aim of this course is to supply the students with the basic knowledge required to understand human physiology and nutrition and all the processes that underlie movement and training.

Course contents

1. BASIC CHEMISTRY

Atoms and ions. The chemical bond. Molecules and chemical formula. Proprieties of water. Aqueous solutions. Acids and base. The pH scale.  the organic chemistry of carbon. Bioelements.

2. BIOMOLECULES

Carbohydrates.  Structure and function of carbohydrates. Monosaccharides. Oligosaccharides. Polysaccharides. Characteristics of glicogen.

Lipids. Structure and classification of fatty acids. Triacylglycerols. Phospholipids. Cholesterol and steroids. Eicosanoids.

Amino acids and proteins. Structure and chemistry of amino acids. The peptide bond. The structure of fibrous and globular proteins. Multimeric proteins. Structure and proprieties of Actin and Myosin. Immunoglobulins.

Nucleotides and nucleic acids. The structure and function of nucleotides. Nucleotide-containing coenzymes. The chemistry and structure of nucleic acids.

3. CELL BIOPHYSICS AND BIOENERGETICS

Enzymes. Chemical reactions. Enzymes and catalysis. Kinetics of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Enzyme inhibitors. Enzyme classification Allosteric enzymes.

Bioenergetics. Energy and cells. Free energy and chemical reactions. Coupled reactions. Structure and function of ATP and adenine nucleotides. Phosphocreatine.

ATP formation. Redox reactions. Electron flow from substrates to oxygen. The role of coenzymes. The mitochondrion. The respiratory chain. Electron transport and oxydative phosphorylation.

4. OXYGEN BIOCHEMISTRY

Oxygen-binding proteins . Structure and function of hemoglobin and myoglobin. Allosteric proprieties of hemoglobin. Factors influencing the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin. Chemical modifications of hemoglobin. Erithropoietin. The role of myoglobin in the muscle cell. 

Reactive Oxygen Species . Radicals. The chemistry of dioxygen. Reduced oxygen species. Superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical. Hydrogen peroxide. Formation and cellular effects of free radicals. Antioxidants and defense mechanisms.

5. THE METABOLISM

A survey of metabolism. Anabolic and catabolic reactions. Metabolic regulation. Allosteric and covalent regulation of enzyme activity.

Carbohydrate metabolism . Regulation of blood glucose. Transport and fate of glucose in the cell. Glycogenolysis and glycogenosynthesis. Glycolisis. The fate of pyruvate. Formation of lactate.  Regulation and energetic of glycolysis. The pentose phosphate pathway. Gluconeogenesis. The conversion of pyruvate into glucose. Gluconeogenetic precursors.

The citric acid cycle . The formation of acetyl-CoA. Reactions and scope of the citric acid cycle. Regulation of the cycle. Energy production.

Metabolism of fatty acids . Triacylglicerols  and adipocytes. Lipolysis and transport. Cellular metabolism of fatty acids. The role of carnitine. The oxidation of fatty acids. Energetics of beta-oxidation. Formation of ketone bodies. The biosynthesis of lipids. The synthesis of fatty acids and its regulation. Essential fatty acids. Leptin. Metabolism of cholesterol.

Metabolism of amino acids and proteins . The amino acid pool. A survey of amino acid metabolism. Protein turnover. Hormonal regulation of protein synthesis and degradation: catabolic and anabolic effectors. Proteins as amino acid source. Transamination. Oxidative deamination. The fate of ammonia and the urea cycle. Ketogenetic and glucogenetic amino acids. Metabolism of branched chain amino acids.

Nucleotide metabolism . A survey of nucleotide synthesis and degradation. Purine catabolism. Uric acid.

Heme metabolism. A survey of heme synthesis and degradation. Iron transport and metabolism.

6. HORMONES AND  METABOLIC REGULATION

Hormones and receptors. Cellular crosstalking: hormones, cytokines, growth factors. Receptors and ligands. Signal transduction. Enzyme-coupled receptors. G proteins. Cyclic AMP. Calcium. NO. Nuclear receptors.

Biochemistry of specific hormones. Basic biochemistry of main hormones. Catecholamines. Glucagon. Insulin. IGF-I. Growth hormone. Myostatin. Adipokines. Steroid hormones.

7.  MUSCLE METABOLISM

Muscle biochemistry and metabolism. Energy demand and energy stores in the muscle cell. Muscle glycogen. Intramuscle triacylglicerols.  The role of phosphocreatine. Function of myokinase. Classification and metabolic characteristics of muscle fibers. The red muscle.  The white muscle. Aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms: the bioergonic systems. ATP synthesis during anaerobic activity. The recycling of lactate.  The Cori and glucose-alanine cycles. Metabolic adaption to training.

Readings/Bibliography

Nelson, Cox.  Lehninger princples of Biochemistry. Worth Publishers. 3th edition

Teaching methods

Front lessons.

Assessment methods

Oral or written examination at the end of lessons.

Teaching tools

All slides shown during the lessons are available in Campus  ( https://campus.cib.unibo.it/cgi/users/home )

Links to further information

http://www.unibo.it/SitoWebDocente/default.htm?upn=claudio.stefanelli%40unibo.it&TabControl1=TabLink

Office hours

See the website of Claudio Stefanelli