Biochemistry
Academic Year 2022/2023 - Teacher: Agatina CAMPISIExpected Learning Outcomes
Provide to the students adequate informations on the major metabolic pathways and biochemical processes occurring in the human body.
Course Structure
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.
Detailed Course Content
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.
Textbook Information
1. Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. I principi di Biochimica di Lehninger. Edizione VIII. 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. Editore Zanichelli.
4. Berg J.M., Tymozcho B.J.L, Gatto G.J, Stryer L. Biochimica. Edizione VIII. Editore Zanichelli.
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amino acids, peptides and proteins. Primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary structure of proteins and stabilizing bonds of these structures. Fibrous and globular proteins. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 3: pag. 73-104. Capitolo 4: pag. 111-141. |
| 2 | Heme Porfirine and heme group. Structure of myoglobin, hemoglobin and globin chains. Classification of globin chains. Hemoglobin and myoglobin oxygen saturation curve. Hemoglobin as an allosteric protein. Structure of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin. Bohr effect; 2.3 BPG. Hemoglobin and blood transport of CO2. Hemoglobin and acid-base balance regulation. Fetal hemoglobin. Molecular basis of hemoglobinopathies and thalassemias. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 5: pag 155-172. |
| 3 | Vitamins and coenzymes. | Siliprandi N. Edizione IV. Ed. Piccin. Capitolo 8 pag 159-205 |
| 4 | Enzymes: definition, distribution, nomenclature, mechanism of action, specificity, affinity, isoenzymes, multi-enzymatic systems. Enzymatic kinetics: catalytic mechanisms, factors that influence the reaction rate, determination of enzymatic activity and the Michaelis-Menten constant. Lineweaver-Burk diagram or diagram of reciprocal doubles. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M.VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 6: pag. 187-234. |
| 5 | Factors affecting enzymatic activity. Enzyme inhibition, enzyme regulation: allosteric, multiple, covalent modifications, association/dissociation, induction. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M.VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 6 pag 224-233. |
| 6 | Energy metabolism: Mitochondrial respiratory chain and its regulation, inhibitors and uncouplers; respiratory control; decoupling. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M.VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 19 pag 685-718. |
| 7 | Nucleic acids: DNA and RNA: structures and functions; duplication, repair, transcription, post-transcriptional modifications (RNA maturation). Genetic code and protein biosynthesis. Control of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 25 pag 947-1025 |
| 8 | General characteristics of signal transduction. Signal transduction pathways. Seven- transmembrane receptors, G proteins, effector enzymes (adenylate cyclase, phospholipase C), second messengers (cAMP, IP3, DAG, Ca2+). Phosphoinositide cycle. PKA and PKC. Cyclical GMP and NO. Receptors with tyrosine kinase activity. Kinasic cascade. Pathway of MAP kinases. Regulation of transcription by steroid hormones. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 12 pag 429-478. |
| 9 | Metabolic and physiological effects, receptors, signal transduction pathways of the following hormones: insulin, glucagon, adrenaline, cortisol. | Voet D. Capitolo 13 pag 428-468 |
| 10 | Biochemical aspects of the cell cycle and apoptosis. | Voet D. Edizione IV. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 28 pag 1155-1165 |
| 11 | Carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation: Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates; glycogenosynthesis, glycogenolysis, glycolysis, Krebs cycle, pentose pathway, gluconeogenesis. Metabolism of glucuronic acid, fructose and galactose. Formation of other monosaccharides from glucose. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 14 pag 533-574. |
| 12 | Lipid metabolism and its regulation: functions and classification of lipids; Transport of blood lipids (plasma lipoproteins); Beta-oxidation, alpha-oxidation and omega-oxidation of saturated fatty acids. Ketogenesis and utilization of ketone bodies. Lipogenesis. Biosynthesis of cholesterol and its regulation; Diseases of impaired lipid metabolism (dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis). | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M..VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitlo 17 pag 625-645 |
| 13 | Protein metabolism and its regulation: transamination, decarboxylation, desamination. Metabolic destiny of ammonia, urea cycle, metabolism of the main amino acids (cysteine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, polyamine, aspartate, glutamate, phenylalanine and thyroxine). | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M.VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 18 pag 651-680. |
| 14 | Heme metabolism: biosynthesis, degradation, jaundice, porphyrias. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M.VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 22 pag 823-852. |
| 15 | Nucleotide metabolism and its regulation: ex novo biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, recovery pathways, uricogenesis. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 22 pag 853-864. |
| 16 | Detoxification processes. Hepatic metabolism of ethanol. Free radicals and defense mechanisms: definition and physicochemical characteristics of radicals, endogenous radical formation and toxicity, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems, pathologies with radical etiology. | Nelson D.L., Cox M.M. VIII. Ed. Zanichelli. Capitolo 13 pag 487-525. |