00061 - Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

The learning goal of this course is to give students the knowledge necessary to understand the molecular mechanism that underlie the life and the trasformations of organic compounds. At the end of the course the student should be able to understand the structural characteristics of biological molecules (proteins, lipids and carbohydrate) and enzyme functionality

Course contents

Biomolecules: The Molecules of Life  Properties of Biomolecules Reflect Their Fitness to the Living Condition

Basic Thermodynamic Concepts The Physical Significance of Thermodynamic Properties (▲H, ▲S and ▲G versus ▲G°) The Importance of Coupled Processes in Living Things, The High-Energy Biomolecules.

Amino Acids: Building Blocks of Proteins, Amino Acid structure, the Peptide Bond. Architecture of Protein Molecules. Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins. Biological Functions of Proteins: Haemoglobin and oxygen transport.

Enzymes as the Agents of Metabolic Function. Enzymes: Catalytic Power, Specificity, and Regulation. Coenzymes, cofactors and prosthetic groups. Enzyme specificity and regulation. Kinetics of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions: Michaelis-Menten model. Enzyme inhibition. Allosteric Enzymes. Regulation of Enzyme Activity: allosteric regulation, covalent modification. The roles of enzymes in food processing.

Metabolism Consists of Catabolism (Degradative Pathways) and Anabolism (Biosynthetic Pathways). Regulation and compartmentalization of metabolic pathways within cells.

Glycolysis: Importance of Coupled Reactions in Glycolysis. Aerobic versus anaerobic glycolysis. Gluconeogenesis : regulation of Gluconeogenesis. Glycogen Metabolism, and the Pentose Phosphate Pathway.

The TCA Cycle

Electron Transport and Oxidative Phosphorylation: organization of mitochondrial respiratory chain, Peter Mitchell's Chemiosmotic Hypothesis to explain energy coupling that drives mitochondrial ATP synthesis.

Fatty acid metabolism:  b-Oxidation of Fatty Acids. ATP synthesized  by fatty acid oxidation. Ketone Bodies: a Significant Source of Fuel and Energy for Certain Tissues.

Fatty Acid Biosynthesis: Formation of Malonyl-CoA. Fatty Acid Synthesis in Eukaryotes Occurs on a Multienzyme Complex called fatty acid synthase.

Nitrogen metabolism: general scheme for amino acid catabolism, amino acid transamination, and oxidative deamination of amino acids. Nitrogen Excretion: urea cycle.

Metabolic integration and unidirectionality of metabolic pathway.

Nucleic acids: structure and function of DNA and RNA. Overview on DNA duplication, transcription and translation.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Campbell-Farrell "Biochemistry"
David L. Nelson, Michael Cox "Principles of Biochemistry Garret and Grisham " Biochemistry" Piccinin (V ed.)

Teaching methods

Lectures and computer simulation on:  protein structure, enzyme function, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA duplication, transcription, translation an protein synthesis.

Assessment methods

Success of learning outcomes will be assessed at the end of the course by an oral examination that will have aims to assess the achievement of the following objectives:
- Know the structure and function of the main biological macromolecules and the theoretical basis of enzymology.
- Know the cellular bioenergetics, the main metabolic pathways and mechanisms underlying their regulation.
- Know the basic molecular mechanisms of living systems, and the molecular logic of their adjustment.

The exam consists of an oral exam, which lasts 20-30 minutes, with three questions aimed at assessing the theoretical knowledge by the student on the structure and function of biological macromolecules, metabolism and its regulation.

 

Teaching tools

Videoprojector, PC, light board

Office hours

See the website of Romana Fato