66942 - Bio-Organic Chemistry

Learning outcomes

The student will gain a good knowledge of bio-organic chemistry, that includes the structure and reactivity of biological molecules, such as peptides, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. The student will also study the most important metabolic pathways (both anabolism and katabolism), including all the reaction mechanisms.

Course contents

Prerequisites: basic elements of general and inorganic chemistry; acids and bases; properties and characteristics of functional groups in organic chemistry; reactivity of functional groups; types and characteristics of chemical reactions.

Contents

Introduction.

Monosaccharides, cyclic forms, amino sugars, alditols, uronic acids, carbohydrate chemistry, glycosides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins.

Nucleosides, nucleotides, nucleic acids, genome organization, DNA damage.

Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids, steroids, terpenes, prostaglandins.

Amino acids, peptides.

Peptide and protein synthesis in the laboratory.

Proteins, enzymes, receptors, antibodies.

Biosynthesis of nucleosides, DNA replication, gene translation.

Protein synthesis and gastric degradation/ubiquitin–proteasome system.

Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.

Chlorophyll photosynthesis. Glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway.

Biosynthesis of non-essential amino acids, amino acid catabolism, transamination, urea cycle.

Fatty acid biosynthesis, prostaglandin biosynthesis, terpene biosynthesis, squalene biosynthesis, steroids, beta-oxidation of fatty acids.

Practical exercises.

Readings/Bibliography

• Introduction to Bioorganic Chemistry and Chemical Biology - D.Van Vranken, G. A. Weiss ed. 2013, Garland Science

• The Organic Chemistry of Biological pathways- J. McMurry, T. Begley - 2nd ed. 2016

• Biochemistry - R.H. Garrett, C.M. Grisham - 2013 V ed. Piccin
• Biochemistry - J.M. Berg, J.L.Tymoczko, L. Stryer - VII ed. 2012 Zanichelli
  

Teaching methods

Lessons consist in oral sessions that include presentations of examples  and discussions.

An active student participation to the discussion session is strongly recommended to develop problem solving skills.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) a.s.a.p. so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Assessment methods

Viva voce examination (English or Italian on request) on the course topics.

Excellent degree (28-30) will be acquired with a good assessment that obtained with a very good knowledge of the contents of the course , a good usage of technical language, and high performance in reasoning and application of the competences.

Fairly good assessments (24-27) could be obtained with a good knowledge of the contents, an appropriate usage of technical language, but with a rote-learning.

Limited abilities in reasoning and application of the contents, a limited technical language, and a sufficient knowledge of contents will give a sufficient assessment (18-23)

Inadequate knowledge of contents and/or technical language and/or insufficiency in preliminary knowledge in organic chemistry will give a negative assessment.

Teaching tools

The course consists of oral lectures. The computer presentations used during the lessons could be retrived on the web platform Virtuale upon registration.
Take notes during the lectures is mandatory.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Gentilucci