BIOCHIMICA GENERALE E DELLA NUTRIZIONE

General Biochemistry and Biochemistry of Nutrition: The course aims to describe the main characteristics of the macromolecules of biological interest and to provide students with the cognitive tools for understanding the biochemical peculiarities of liver, muscle, adipose tissue, kidney, blood and of the existing metabolic interrelations among the main tissues. In addition, the course also provides the basis for understanding the main metabolic dysfunctions based on nutrition.

Teaching: Lectures, practical exercises, and cooperative learning activities.

According to the RDA, Article 12 – University Credits (CFU), within the standard workload of 25 hours of overall student engagement corresponding to one credit, the following activities may be included:

a) 7 hours devoted to lectures or equivalent teaching activities, with the remaining hours dedicated to individual study;

b) between 12 and 15 hours devoted to classroom exercises or equivalent supervised activities (laboratory work), with the remaining hours dedicated to individual study and personal revision/elaboration.

Interactive Teaching: includes activities aimed at promoting active student engagement, such as contributions and interventions by the instructor or junior tutor (30 hours of activities).

Students must have passed the General Chemistry exam (preparatory). Finally, students are required to have adequate knowledge of biology, in particular on the structure of the cell and of the various cell compartments.

Attendance is compulsory according to the rules of the didactic regulations

1) General introduction to the course of General Biochemistry and Biochemistry of Nutrition.

2) Amino Acids and Proteins: Structures, properties, functions and food sources. Hemoglobin and myoglobin.

3) Enzymes: definition, distribution, nomenclature, mechanism of action, specificity, affinity, isoenzymes. Enzymatic kinetics. Enzymatic regulation.

4) Carbohydrates: definition, functions, nomenclature and food sources.

5) Lipids: definition, functions, nomenclature and food sources.

6) Nucleic acids: structures and functions. Protein synthesis.

7) Apoptosis and necrosis.

8) Catabolism and Anabolism

9) Cellular communication and hormones: receptor classification, molecular mechanism of action of hormones, signal transduction molecules, second messengers, signal translation paths.

10) Energy function of food and homeostasis of body weight: plastic and energetic foods.

11) Vitamins in the feeding: water-soluble and liposoluble vitamins.

12) Glycolic metabolism: glycolysis, Krebs cycle and pentose pathway.

13) Lipid metabolism: de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids, β-oxidation.

14) Protein metabolism: metabolic fate of nitrogen.

15) Metabolic regulation in the feeding-fasting cycle: gluconeogenesis, glyceroneogenesis, glycogenosynthesis, glycogenolysis, ketone bodies.

16) Alcoholic beverages and metabolic alterations.

16) Antioxidants in food and the role of radicals.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS

1) Leuzzi U., Bellocco E. e Barreca D. Biochimica della Nutrizione, Ed. Zanichelli

2) Nelson D.L. e Michael M. Cox M.M. I Principi Di Biochimica di Lehninger, Ed. Zanichelli.

3) Nelson e Cox. Introduzione alla Biochimica di Lehninger, Ed. Zanichelli

4) Abali E., Cline S., Franklin D., Viselli S. Le basi della biochimica, Ed. Zanichelli

5) Sorrenti V. e Vanella L. Aspetti Molecolari dell’Apoptosi e Ruolo Fisiopatologico, Ed. Piccin.

The exam will be written with multiple choice (1hr). Verification of learning can also be carried out electronically, should the conditions require it. The test focuses exclusively on the topics covered in class. The type of exercises of the exam will be addressed during the course. The exam dates are published on the website of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences.

Information for students with disabilities and / or SLD:
To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and / or dispensatory measures, based on the didactic objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the referent teacher CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and / or SLD) of our Department, Prof. Chiechio.

1) Which of the following compounds CANNOT turn into glucose?

a) lactate

b) Pyruvate

c) Glycerol

d) Acetyl CoA

2) What are the effects of the hormone glucagon on the metabolism of fatty acids?

a) It triggers the conversion of triacylglycerols into glucose.

b) It triggers the conversion of glucose into triacylglycerols.

c) Triggers the storage of triacylglycerols.

d) Triggers the mobilization (hydrolysis) of reserve fats