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Intro To Biochemistry

This document provides an introduction to biochemistry by discussing its definition, aims, significance, and history. Biochemistry is defined as the science concerned with the chemical basis of life and the molecules found in living cells. It aims to describe and explain biological processes at the molecular level. The document outlines the importance of biochemistry to various life sciences and medical fields. A brief history of biochemistry is given, highlighting important discoveries such as the roles of enzymes and nucleic acids. The main topics covered in biochemistry are then summarized as the structure and function of biomolecules, metabolism and regulation, and gene expression.

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Cyrene Joy Silva Olivar
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8 views

Intro To Biochemistry

This document provides an introduction to biochemistry by discussing its definition, aims, significance, and history. Biochemistry is defined as the science concerned with the chemical basis of life and the molecules found in living cells. It aims to describe and explain biological processes at the molecular level. The document outlines the importance of biochemistry to various life sciences and medical fields. A brief history of biochemistry is given, highlighting important discoveries such as the roles of enzymes and nucleic acids. The main topics covered in biochemistry are then summarized as the structure and function of biomolecules, metabolism and regulation, and gene expression.

Uploaded by

Cyrene Joy Silva Olivar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Biochemistry

Department of Biochemistry
1. Biochemistry
■ Definition: The chemistry of life
■ The science concerned with the chemical
basis of life.
■ The science concerned with the various
molecules that occur in living cells and
organisms and with their chemical reaction.
■ Anything more than a superficial
comprehension of life – in all its diverse
manifestation - demands a knowledge of
biochemistry.
Biochemistry
■ Aim: to describe and explain, in
molecular terms, all chemical
processes of living cells
■ Structure-function
■ Metabolism and Regulation
■ How life began ？
Biochemistry
■ Significance: be essential to all life
sciences as the common knowledge
■ Genetics; Cell biology; Molecular biology
■ Physiology and Immunology
■ Pharmacology and Pharmacy
■ Toxicology; Pathology; Microbiology
■ Zoology and Botany
Biochemistry
■ Medical students who acquire a sound
knowledge of biochemistry will be in a
strong position to deal with two central
concerns of the health sciences:
(1) the understanding and maintenance of
health
(2) the understanding and effective
treatment of disease
■ Causes of cancers
■ Molecular lesions causing various genetic
diseases
■ Rational design of new drugs
2. History and development of
Biochemistry

1903, Neuberg
(German): “Biochemistry”

“Chemistry of Life”
Two notable breakthroughs

(1) Discovery of the role of enzymes


as catalysts
(2) Identification of nucleic acids as
information molecules

Flow of information: from nucleic acids to proteins


DNA RNA Protein
Some historical events
■ In 1937 ， Krebs for the discovery of the
Citric Acid Cycle-won the Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine in 1953
■ In 1953 ， Watson & Crick for the discovery
of the “DNA Double Helix” -won the Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962
■ In 1955 ， Sanger for the determination of
insulin sequence- won the Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine in 1956
■ In 1980 ， Sanger & Gilbert for Sequencing
of DNA-won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in
1980

■ In 1993, Kary B. Mullis for invention of PCR


method -won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in
1993
Transgenic
Gene engineering animal

Clone Green Fluorescence protein


HGP from 1990, completed in 2003
3.What dose the Biochemistry
discuss?
■ structure and function of cellular
components
■ proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic
acids and other biomolecules
■ Metabolism and Regulation
■ Gene expression and modulation

DNA RNA Protein


Polymers and Monomers
■ Each of these types of molecules are
polymers that are assembled from
single units called monomers.
■ Each type of macromolecule is an
assemblage of a different type of
monomer.
Macromolecule Monomer

Carbohydrates Monosaccharide

Lipids Not always polymers;


Hydrocarbon chains

Proteins Amino acids

Nucleic acids Nucleotides


How do monomers form
polymers?
■ In condensation
reactions (also
called dehydration
synthesis), a
molecule of water
is removed from
two monomers as
they are connected
together.
Anabolic

■ Building block ■ Macromolecule


■ Simple sugar ■ Polysaccharide
■ Amino acid ■ Protein (peptide)
■ Nucleotide ■ RNA or DNA
■ Fatty acid ■ Lipid

Catabolic
5. Biomolecules
■ Just like cells are building blocks of tissues,
biomolecules are building blocks of cells.
■ Animal and plant cells contain approximately
10,000 kinds of biomolecules.
■ Water constitutes 50-95% of cells content by
weight.
■ Ions like Na+, K+ and Ca2+ may account for
another 1%.
■ Almost all other kinds of biomolecules are
organic (C, H, N, O, P, S).
■ Organic compounds are compounds composed
primarily of a Carbon skeleton.
Carbon
■ Carbon is more abundant in living
organisms than it is in the rest of the
universe.
■ What makes Carbon Special? Why is
Carbon so different from all the other
elements on the periodic table?
■ The answer derives from the ability of
Carbon atoms to bond together to form
long chains and rings.
Carbon can form immensely diverse
compounds, from simple to complex.

Methane with 1 DNA with tens of Billions


Carbon atom of Carbon atoms
Biomolecules
are
compounds
of carbon
with a variety
of functional
groups
Types of biomolecules
■ Small molecules:
■ Lipid, phospholipid, glycolipid, sterol,
■ Vitamin
■ Hormone, neurotransmitter
■ Carbohydrate, sugar
■ Monomers:
■ Amino acids
■ Nucleotides
■ Monosaccharides
■ Polymers:
■ Peptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides, proteins
■ Nucleic acids, i.e. DNA, RNA
■ Oligosaccharides, polysaccharides (including
cellulose)
Just do as some proverbs say:
“I hear, and I forget,
I see, and I remember,
I do, and I understand.”

“Practice makes perfect”

“No pains, no gains”

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