BIOCHIMICA GENERALE - BIOCHIMICA APPLICATA MEDICA M - Z

Module BIOCHIMICA GENERALE

The course provides the knowledge necessary to understand the physical-chemical and biological context in which the chemical transformations and molecular interactions that occur during the reproduction, differentiation and life of a living organism take place.The knowledge acquired will allow the molecular understanding of the complex processes underlying the metabolism of living beings.

The course includes 42 hours of frontal lessons.  

"Information for students with disabilities and/or DSA. To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs.It is also possible to contact the CInAP reference teacher (Centre for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) of our Department, Prof. Santina Chiechio."

• Amino acids: structure, functions, physico-chemical characteristics and their classification.

• Peptides: Characteristics of the peptide bond; examples of peptides of significant biological interest.

• Levels of structural and supramolecular organization of proteins.

• Oxygen transporting chromoproteins: myoglobin and hemoglobin; structural and functional differences; factors that influence the binding of hemoglobin to oxygen; hemoglobin allosterism behavior; role of hemoglobin in the transport of carbon dioxide; buffering action of hemoglobin; physiological forms and pathological variants of hemoglobin.

• General properties and characteristics of enzymes; classification and nomenclature of enzymes, isoenzymes, multi-enzyme complexes; enzyme kinetics, affinity and activity: Michaelis-Menten constant, maximum velocity and their implications; graph of double reciprocals for calculating KM; enzyme inhibitors (irreversible and reversible, competitive, non-competitive and incompetitive; methods for recognizing the type of inhibition). Regulation of enzymatic activity; Allosteric enzymes.

• Carbohydrates: Structure, nomenclature and functions of the main carbohydrates of biological interest.

• Lipids: Structure, nomenclature, functions and classification of the main lipids of biological interest.

• Nucleic Acids: Levels of structural and supramolecular organization of nucleic acids.

• Genetic code and its characteristics.

• DNA replication in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

• Examples of DNA damage and DNA repair mechanisms.

• From genes to proteins: transcription, RNA maturation and translation.

• Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes: gene induction, repression and activation; operons and their regulatory mechanism.

• Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes.

• Molecules involved in cellular recognition: role of membrane carbohydrates.

• Mechanisms of intercellular communication: nervous pathway and hormonal pathway;

• Structural and functional characteristics of the different types of receptors for hormones and growth factors (receptors with 7 transmembrane helices, receptors with tyrosine kinase activity, receptors for steroid hormones, receptors for thyroid hormones); signal transduction pathways (Gs, Gi and Gq proteins, Ras proteins and MAP kinase cascade; intracellular second messengers (cAMP, GMPc, IP3, DAG, Ca++) and their modes of synthesis, action and degradation. Intracellular mechanisms and molecules involved in the transmission of some sensory signals (rhodopsin, transducin and light signals, Golf protein and olfactory signals, gustducin and flavor perception).

• Molecules involved in the control of the cell cycle and proliferation (cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases).

• Mechanisms of cell death: Necrosis and apoptosis; morphological, molecular and modality differences. Molecules involved in the execution of the apoptotic program.

• D. Nelson, M.C. Cox:"I PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA DI LENHINGER ed. Zanichelli
• D. Voet, J.G. Voet e C.W. Pratt: "FONDAMENTI DI BIOCHIMICA" Ed. Zanichelli
• T.M. Devlin: "BIOCHIMICA con aspetti clinici-farmaceutici" EdiSES
• D. Voet e J.G. Voet: "BIOCHIMICA" Ed. Zanichelli
• J.L. Tymoczko, J.M. Berg, L. Stryer "PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA" - Ed. Zanichelli
• C.K. Mathews, K.E. van Holde, K.G. Ahern "BIOCHIMICA" Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
• Ritter "BIOCHIMICA" - Ed. Zanichelli
• P. Champe, R. Harvey, D. R. Ferrier "LE BASI DELLA BIOCHIMICA"- Ed. Zanichelli
• Garret & Grisham: "PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA" Ed. Piccin
• N. Siliprandi e G. Tettamanti "BIOCHIMICA MEDICA" Ed. Piccin

Difference between Hemoglobin and Myoglobin

Enzyme regulation

Structure of proteins

Molecules involved in the regulation of the cell cycle

Regulation of gene expression

Protein biosynthesis

Types of hormone receptors

Intracellular second messengers

Apoptosis and necrosis

Enzyme inhibition

Definition of Michaelis-Menten constant and its meaning;

Heterotrimeric G proteins