BIOCHEMISTRY
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- MIRKO PINOTTI
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/10
Training objectives
- Biochemistry is a branch of life science that deals with the study of chemical reactions and their organization in living cells and organisms. It takes into account the studies related to the nature of the chemical constituents of living matter, their transformations in biological systems and the energy changes associated with these transformations.
Students will be guided through the course to understand the relationships between structure and function of macromolecules, and the regulatory strategies, with particular focus on the main metabolic pathways.
The experimental activities are aimed at understanding the rationale behind the basic biochemical protocols developed to investigate the macromolecules and their functions.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The student:
- knows the proper biochemical terminology;
- knows the biochemical mechanisms of biological processes;
- knows the structure of biological macromolecules;
- knows the mechanisms underlying catalysis by enzymes, the kinetcs and the processing governing their modulation;
- knows the main metabolic pathways and their integration
- knows the main experimental approaches to study proteins.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The studenti is able to:
- use the proper biochemical terminology;
- to understand and evaluate the impact of structural modifications of biological macromolecules on their biological function;
- to exploit the knowledge of enzyme kinetics to plan a basic experimental protocol;
- to evaluate the potential effect of modulators of enzyme activity for therapeutic purposes;
- to understand and predict the impact of physiologic variations on the main metabolic pathways. Prerequisites
- No formal propedeuticity is required. However, basic knowledge of physics, mathematics, general and Organic Chemistry as well as of cellular biology, with particular focus on animal biology, is necessary.
Course programme
- IN THE FIRST PART (18 hours), after an introduction to biochemistry, the student will be guided through the protein structure and function, with a particular focus on the oxygen transport and the enzyme catalysis. In details:
Introduction to Biochemistry
Cell and organelles, composition of living matter, configuration of the carbon atom, molecules, covalent and non-covalent bonds, properties of water.
Proteins: Structures, functions and catalysis
Amino acids: structure, properties and classification. Peptide bond. Proteins: structure and function. Protein folding and mechanisms.
Protein structures: alpha-cheratin, collagen, fibroin
Structure and function of hemoglobin and myoglobin, the heme group, dissociation curve, regulation of the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen.
Enzymes: general characteristics, activation energy, binding energy, general concepts of enzyme kinetics. Mechanisms of regulation of enzyme activity: competitive and non-competitive inhibitors. Allosteric enzymes and covalent modifications.
Catalytic strategies of enzymes. Serine-proteases. The coagulation cascade as paradigmatic examples to understand determinants of specificity (exosites), role of cofactors and importance of macromolecular complexes.
Main techniques to study proteins (electrophoresis, chromatography, ELISA).
IN THE SECOND PART (10 hours the student will be guided on the structure of the other macromolecules, on the structure-function of biological membranes, and on basic elements of signal transduction. In details:
Carbohydrates: Structure and function
Lipids: Structure and function
Nucleotides: Structure and function
Nucleic acids: structure and function
Biological Membranes and Transport: The constituents of plasma membranes. Structure and function of membranes. The membrane lipids. Fluidity. Permeability. Passive and active transport.
Membrane receptors: Signal transduction in general: receptors with intrinsic kinase activity (insulin),G-protein-coupled receptors.
IN THE THIRD PART (20 hours), the students will be guided on principles of bioenergetics and on the main metabolic pathways, with particular attention to the regulatory strategies. In details:
Bioenergetics and Metabolism
Basic concepts of metabolism: Catabolism and anabolism. The transfer of phosphate groups. Structure and function of ATP. The electron carriers (NADH, NADPH and FADH2).
Degradation and synthesis of glucose. Glycolysis and Gluconeogenesis: function and regulation. The energy balance. Synthesis of pentose phosphate and NADPH.
Glycogenolysis and glycogen synthesis, and coordinated regulation.
Regulation of sugar metabolism: Hormonal regulation of sugar metabolism. Fate of pyruvate areobic and anaerobic conditions. Cori cycle. Synthesis of Acetyl-CoA.
Citric acid cycle: Functions, energy balance and regulation.
Degradation of lipids: Mobilization, transport and oxidation of fatty acids. The ketone bodies.
Degradation of amino acids and proteins. Oxidation of amino acids and removal of the amino group.
Oxidative phosphorylation: The electron carriers. Electron flow and ATP synthesis. Transport systems of cytoplasmic NADH. Transport of ATP and ADP.
Biosynthesis of lipids: biosynthesis of fatty acids. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase and malonyl-CoA synthesis and regulation. Fatty acid synthase.
Integration of Metabolism
Metabolic Inter-relations between different organs. Fasting-feeding cycle. Hormonal regulation. Didactic methods
- The course is structured in theoretical lectures for a total of 48 hours. Lesson are provided on a weekly basis by taking advantage of power-point slides and, particularly when teaching chemical structures, enzyme reactions and modulation, of the backboard. Computational molecular modelling is also exploited to explain the structure of macromolecules. The last 4 hours of the course are devoted to summarize the main contents of the program.
Learning assessment procedures
- The aim of the exam is to test the level of knowledge and deepening of the topics of the course program.
The assessment is expressed in thirtieths (minimum grade 18).
With the exception of students manifesting problems, the exam is written, and consists of 11 multiple-choice questions (score 1.5 for each question correctly anwered). To pass the exam (score 18/30) the student has to correctly respond to at least 12 questions. With 21 positive responses the score is 30/30 with honours.
The students have 25 minutes for the exam. Reference texts
- Scheme and Figures provided.
One of the following books:
"Biochimica" di Berg-Tynoczko-Stryer, Zanichelli
"I principi di Biochimica di Lehninger" di Nelson-Cox, Zanichelli
