BIOCHEMISTRY

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Academic Year of enrolment:

2019/2020

Optional/Mandatory:

Compulsory

Degree:

Bachelor's Degree Programme in BIOTECHNOLOGY

Language:

Italian

Segments:

BIOCHEMISTRY

5 credits
BIOCHEMISTRY

4 credits

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

MANCA Laura

Hours of classroom activity:

Prerequisites:

The student must have already completed the course of organic chemistry. Specific prerequisites are not foreseen.

AF code:

11290004

Assessment Methods

Verification of learning:

Final oral examination.
At the discretion of the attending student, it is possible to conduct a written test on the subject preparatory to the study of metabolic pathways. For attending students who pass the script, the final oral examination program will not include the topics set for the on-the-job test.
Final vote:
for those who will be testing itinere and final oral exam, the vote will derive from the average of the two trials.

Teaching period

First semester

Objectives

To provide students with the knowledge to the study of the biochemical mechanisms underlying the metabolic pathways aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the metabolism, energy requirements and metabolic regulation in living cells.
At the end of the course the student will acquire:
- knowledge and understanding of biological molecular phenomena and principles underlying the fundamental chemistry-biochemical methodologies;
- knowledge and understanding of spectrophotometric techniques in the UV-Vis region;
- ability to apply the principles of spectrophotometry for the study of enzymatic kinetics.

Contents

Course introduction. Carbohydrates, Nucleotides, Lipids: review of structure, nomenclature, physical properties. Peptides: chemistry, structure of the peptide bond, biological activities of peptides; Protein structure; primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary. Protein function: ligand binding; allostery; regulation. Enzyme mechanisms; Enzyme regulation: allosteric and covalent. Membranes. Principles of bioenergetics: free-energy changes in biology. Introduction to metabolism. ATP and phosphoryl group transfers: chemistry and biology. Glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogen metabolism and metabolic regulation. Pyruvate oxidation and the citric acid cycle; oxidation of fatty acids. ATP synthesis coupled to mitochondrial electron transfer.
The activity carried out in the laboratory includes topics on the principles of spectrophotometry (from the preparation of solutions to the determination of the determination of the BSA solution).

Recommended Bibliography

Choose one of the following texts:

D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox - Introduzione alla Biochimica . Ed. Zanichelli, V edizione,2015.

D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox - I Principi di Biochimica di Lehninger. Ed. Zanichelli, VI edizione, 2014.

Brown T.A. - Conoscere la Biochimica - Ed. Zanichelli, I edizione, 2018

M.K. Campbell, S.O. Farrell - Biochimica Ed. EdiSES – IV edizione, 2012

C. Mathews, K.E. van Holde, K.G. Ahern: Biochimica. Ed. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.

Text of reference for laboratory practice: C. De Marco, C. Cini - Principi di metodologia biochimica. Cap. 24. Ed. Piccin-Nuova Libraria, 2009.

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

For class lessons the use of power-point slides and a classic blackboard. For practical exercises in the laboratory the students are divided into groups of about 25 people.
Use of the Moodle platform to provide the student with all the teaching material used in the classroom and in the lab.

Contacts/More Information

1) Student Reception: Ask by mail (manca@uniss.it) to make an appointment
2) Readiness to offer individual assistance also in english language to incoming students
3) Availability of supporting material and bibliographic references also in english language
4) Readiness to accept examination of incoming students also in english language

BIOCHEMISTRY

Course year: 1

Course year: 2

Course year: 3

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BIOCHEMISTRY