04638 - Cellular Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will acquire a general and up-to-date knowledge of the biochemical mechanisms underlying the main cellular functions, such as intracellular traffic, inter-cellular comunciations, cell proliferation and death.

Course contents

Traffic and transport of secretion proteins:  Rough reticulum and  co-translational translocation. SRP and its receptor. Structure of the protein-translocation pore SecY in the ER. Hsp70 and Hsp60 chaperons in the ER. Protein glycosylation in the ER. Calnexin anc quality control. Golgi apparatus: structure, function in lipids biosynthesis and secretion protein glycosylation. Targetting of lysosomal proteins. Trasporto a mezzo di vescicole rivestite: the coatmaers: COPI, COPII and clatrin. Molecular mechanisms of vesicle budding and fusion.

The nucleus Structure of nuclear pores. Protein import in the nucleus: NIS, importins, Ran proteins cycle. Export of mRNA and ribosomal subunits.

Biosynthesis of organelles  (mitochondria and peroxisomes). Mitochondrial genome and genetic code. Nucloids. Presequences and mechanisms for protein selection at the mitochondrial outer membrane. Protein traslocons in mitochondrial membranes  (TOM, TIM23 and TIM22, Oxa 1, SAM). Mia and Erv1. Import in chloroplasts (TOC and TIC). Peroxisomes: function and biogenesis: peroxines, targeting signals Pts1/Pts2. Peroxisomes assembly: Pex3 and Pex 11. Import into the peroxisomal matrix: the importomer. 

 Cytoskeleton and molecular motors Organization of  cytoskeleton components. Microfilaments: structure of actin, filaments polarity, , intermediate filaments and microtubules. Polarity of cytoskelal elements.Motor proteins and interactions with cytoskeleton: myosins, kinesins and dyneins.  Molecular structures  of myosins e kinesins.

Cell-cell segnalling  Modes o cell-cell segnalling. First messengers: peptidic and lipophilic hormones (steroid, thyroid, estrogen hormones, eicosanoids, etc).  Intracellular receptors and nuclear targets  (HRE). Membrane receptors. Seven-TM receptors. G proteins. Signal transduction in sensoyy receptors (vision, olfact and hearing). The effector systemsi: adenylate cyclase, phospholipase C, ionic channels.. The second messengers: cAMP, cGMP, DAG and IP3, calcium. Tyrosine kinase receptors: molecular organization, activation and signalling.  Structure of SH2 and SH3 domains. Structure of non-receptor tyrosine kinase (Src). Structure, activation and function of Ras;  MAP kinases, JAK/STAT and Wnt/Hedgehoge Notch. PI-3-kinase, Akt and mTOR. Beta and gamma isoforms of PLC. IP3 and intracellular calcium stores. Calmodulin and CAM kinase II.   cytoskeleton and signal transduction: integrins and FAK/MAP.

Protien degradation  Ubiquitin and ubiquitination (enzymes E1, E2, E3). Types of E3-ubiquitin ligases. Proteasome. Structure of proteasome of T. acidophilum and yeast. Control of entry into proteasome. Control of proteolysis: th4e case of cyclin B. Ubiquination as a mechansims of cell control.

 

Readings/Bibliography

B. Lewin: Cellule. Zanichelli 2008

C. Branden e J. Tooze, Introduzione alla Struttura delle Proteine, II Edizione, Zanichelli 2001

G.M. Cooper e R.E. Hausman, La cellula. Un approccio molecolare, Piccin, Padova, 2009

J. Berg, J.L. Tymoczko e L. Stryer,  Biochimica, V Edizione, Zanichelli 2008

PPT presentations will be available to students on AMS Campus.

Teaching methods

Lectures

Office hours

See the website of Michela Rugolo