Learning objectives
Knowledge of structure and function of nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. Comprehension of the foundations of Metabolic Pathways.
Course unit content
Organic chemistry, Structural and Metabolic Biochemistry
Full programme
A) Organic chemistry foundations.
B) STRUCTURAL BIOCHEMISTRY
Nucleotides and nucleic acids. Nucleotides chemistry and nucleic acids structures. Biological role of DNA, tRNAs, mRNA, and ribosomal RNA.
Aminoacids, peptides and proteins. Amino Acids classification; the peptide bond. The covalent structure of proteins: overview of protein structure. Protein folding and protein functions.
Hemoglobin: structure and function. Oxygen binding and transport at the molecular level. Factors affecting oxygen affinity.
How Enzymes Work. Classification of enzymes.
Lipids. Classification, structure and functions of fatty acids, triglycerides and cholesterol. Structural lipids in membranes.
Carbohydrates. Structure and classification of monosaccharides and disaccharides and polysaccharides.
C) METABOLIC BIOCHEMISTRY
Free Energy and spontaneous reactions. Thermodynamics of biological reactions, ATP as energy carrier.
Cellular metabolism. Oxidation and degradation reactions, biosynthetic reactions.
Mitochondrial reactions. Coenzymes and biological redox reactions. Electron-transfer reactions in mitochondria: components and functions. ATP synthesis. Regulation of Oxidative Phosphorylation.
Glycolysis, Gluconeogenesis, Glycogen metabolism, The Citric Acid Cycle.
Fatty acids and aminoacidic metabolism.
Hormonal regulation and integration of metabolism. Insulin and glucagon. Liver, muscle and brain metabolism.
Bibliography
Le basi della biochimica
di Champe Pamela C. - Harvey Richard - Ferrier Denise R.
Editore: Zanichelli
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons aided by presentations and animations files.
