00061 - Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

This course gives the students the knowledge about the structure, properties and functions of biomolecules and biomembranes. Concepts about enzymatic catalysis, signal transduction, metabolic pathways and their regulation are also explained.

Course contents

Amino acids and Proteins.  Properties of amino acids. Primary structure of proteins. Secondary structure. Fibrous and globular proteins. Protein folding. Tertiary and Quaternary structure.

Hemoglobin and Myoglobin. Hemoglobin and myoglobin functions. Structure and mechanism. Allosteric regulation of hemoglobin.

Mechanism of enzyme action. Enzyme properties. Catalytic mechanisms. Enzyme kinetics. Inhibition. Regulation of enzymatic activity. Coenzymes.

Sugars. Monosaccharides. Disaccharides. Polysaccharides.

Lipids. Fatty acids. Triacylglycerols. Glycerophospholipids. Sphingolipids. Cholesterol.

Biological membranes. Structure and properties of biological membranes. Mechanisms of membrane transport. Facilitative transport and ATP-driven active transport.

Signal transduction. Signaling of peptidic hormones. Signaling of lipidic hormones. Signal transduction of glucagon, epinephrine and insulin. Signaling and tyrosine kinases. Apoptosis.

Introduction to metabolism. Metabolism overview. The role of ATP. Redox reactions. Coupled reactions.  

Carbohydrate catabolism. The glycolytic pathway and its regulation. Acetyl-Coenzyme A synthesis. Citric acid cycle: enzymes, regulation and amphibolic nature. Mitochondrial transport system. Components of the electron transport chain. Energy coupling hypothesis and proton gradient generation. ATP synthesis. Control of oxidative phosphorylation.

Lipid catabolism. Fatty acid oxidation and its regulation.

Aminoacid catabolism. Transamination. Glutamate dehydrogenase.

Maintenance of blood glucose levels. Glycogen synthesis and breakdown and their regulation. Gluconeogenesis and its regulation. Effects of insulin, glucagon and epinephrine on carbohydrate metabolism.

Lipid anabolism. Fatty acid biosynthesis. Elongases and desaturases. Effects of insulin, glucagon and epinephrine on lipid metabolism.

Nucleotides and nucleic acids. Structure and functions of nucleotides. Double helical DNA. Forces stabilizing DNA structure. DNA is the carrier of genetic information.

DNA replication. DNA replication in prokaryotes. Enzymes and mechanism of replication.

Transcription. The role of RNA in protein synthesis. Enzymes and mechanism of transcription in prokaryotes.

 Translation. Transfer RNA and its aminoacylation. The genetic code. Ribosomes and mechanism of translation in prokaryotes.

Readings/Bibliography

David L. Nelson, Michael M. Cox "Introduzione alla Biochimica di Lehninger", third edition, ed. Zanichelli

M.K. Campbell, S.O.Farrell "Biochimica", second edition, ed. EdiSES

Useful to consult:

P.C. Champe, R.A. Harvey, D.R Ferrier "Le basi della Biochimica", first edition, ed. Zanichelli

Assessment methods

Oral exam

Teaching tools

All the material shown is copied on a CD you can ask to the teacher

Links to further information

http://campus.cib.unibo.it - http://dsa.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Diana Fiorentini