BIOCHEMISTRY

Provide to the students adequate informations on the major metabolic pathways and biochemical processes occurring in the human body.

Frontal teaching lessons will be carried out. Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus. Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Biological macromolecules: proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides and lipids. Composition and structure of biological membranes. Membrane proteins. Ionophores. Porines. Carrier proteins. Translocation systems: uniport, simport, antiport. Transport of glucose. Active transport driven by ATP: sodium/potassium ATPase.

Structure and function of nucleic acids (purine and pyrimidine bases, nucleosides and nucleotides)

Role of DNA as a vector of genetic information. Role of messenger RNA and transfer RNA in the translation of proteins. Genetic code. Inter- and intra-cellular communications. Molecules involved in cell recognition: role of membrane carbohydrates. Mechanisms of intercellular communication: nervous and hormonal pathways. Structural and functional characteristics of the different types of receptors for hormones and growth factors. Pathways of signal transduction (G proteins, Ras proteins and MAP kinase cascade, second intracellular messengers). Molecules involved in the control of cell cycle and cell proliferation (cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases). Cell death mechanisms: Necrosis and apoptosis.

Proteins: Structure, stereochemistry and acid-base properties of amino acids. Peptide bond. Primary, secondary (α-helix, β sheets), tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins. Denaturation and renaturation of proteins. Fibrous proteins: alpha-keratins, silk fibroin and collagen.

Myoglobin and hemoglobin: structure and function. Structure and role of the prosthetic group. Cooperativity of the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin. Bohr effect. Allosteric effectors of hemoglobin. Sickle cell anemia.

Allosteric proteins: symmetrical model and sequential model of allosterism.

Enzymes: Specificity of substrate, active site. Nomenclature and classification of enzymes. Enzyme kinetics. Michaelis Menten equation. Enzymatic inhibition. Regulation of enzymatic activity in metabolic pathways: allosteric regulation and covalent modifications.

Introduction to metabolism: Catabolic, biosynthetic, amphibolic processes. Vitamins. Coenzymes.

Bioenergetics: Free energy of biochemical reactions.

Mitochondrial respiratory chain and its regulation, inhibitors and uncouplers; Compounds rich in energy.

Carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation. Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates; glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, Krebs cycle, glycogenosynthesis, glycogenolysis, pentose pathway. Hormonal regulation of glucose metabolism. Protein metabolism and its regulation: transamination, decarboxylation, desamination. Metabolic fate of ammonia, urea cycle, metabolism of the main amino acids. Phenylketonuria and celiac disease.

Lipid metabolism and its regulation: functions and classification of lipids. Transport of blood lipids (plasma lipoproteins). Beta-oxidation, alpha-oxidation, omega-oxidation of saturated fatty acids. Ketogenesis and extra-hepatic utilization of ketone bodies. Lipogenesis. Biosynthesis of cholesterol and its regulation. Diseases due to impaired lipid metabolism (dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis).

Heme metabolism: biosynthesis, degradation, jaundice, porphyrias.

Nucleotide metabolism and its regulation: ex novo biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, recovery pathways, uricogenesis. Free radicals and defense mechanisms: definition and physico-chemical characteristics of radicals, endogenous production, toxicity and defense mechanisms.

1. Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. I principi di Biochimica di Lehninger. Edizione VII. Ed. Zanichelli.

2. Siliprandi N., Tettamanti G. Biochimica Medica. Edizione IV. Ed. Piccin.

3. Voet D., Voet J.V., Pratt C.W. Fondamenti di Biochimica. Edizione IV. Ed. Zanichelli.