B029413 - GENERAL AND MOLECULAR BIOCHEMISTRY

Italian

Structure and function of proteins. Principles of thermodynamics. Kinetic and enzymatic catalysis. Structure and function of carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. The metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids.

Garrett & Grisham “Biochimica” V ed.; Piccin Ed.
Voet, "Fondamenti di Biochimica" iV ed.; Zanichelli
Nelson, Cox “I Principi di Biochimica di Lehninger”. Zanichelli

The course aims to train the student in relation to the general principles of Biochemistry. This course provides knowledge about the structure and function of biological macromolecules, metabolism and metabolic regulation.

The course requires knowledge of general chemistry, organic and basic notions of biology.

Lectures

student reception hours
Prof. P. Cirri: tuesday 14,00-17,00
Prof.ssa D. Degl'Innocenti: monday 15,30

Location:
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche "Mario Serio", viale Morgagni 50, 50134 Firenze.

Oral examination

Amino acids and proteins
The amino acids. The peptide bond. Primary and secondary structure of proteins. Globular and fibrous proteins. Tertiary and quaternary structure. Protein folding and stability.

Protein functions: hemoglobin, immunoglobulins, enzymes
The proteins that carry oxygen. Structure of myoglobin. The structure of hemoglobin. and cooperative oxygen transport. Bohr effect. Effect of 2,3-bisphosphoglyceric acid. Fetal hemoglobin. Transport of carbon dioxide. Structure and function of immunoglobulins.

Principles of thermodynamics.
First and second law of thermodynamics. Free energy of a chemical reaction. Exo- and endoergonic reactions. Coupled reactions. Chemical kinetics. Equilibrium constants and speed constants. Collision theory. Transition state theory.

Principles of catalysis and enzymatic kinetics
Definition of enzymatic rate. Factors affecting enzymatic activity. Definition of initial velocity. Michaelis-Menten equation. Meaning of the kinetic parameters KM, Vmax, kcat, kcat / KM.
Classification of enzymes. Cofactors of enzymes: metal ions and coenzymes. Kinetic data analysis. Irreversible and reversible inhibitors. Allosteric enzymes. Characteristics and mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis. Examples of enzymatic catalysis. Ribonuclease, lysozyme, serine-prosthesis. Mechanisms for regulating enzymatic activity. Water-soluble vitamins and coenzymes. Notes on fat-soluble vitamins.

Carbohydrates
Classification: mono-, oligo- and polysaccharides. Physico-chemical properties. Introduction to stereoisomerism. Amino sugars. Homo- and heteroplyysaccharides. Glycosaminoglycans. Proteoglycans. Glycoproteins.

Lipids and biological membranes
Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Triglycerides, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, terpenes (sterols and cholesterol), other derivatives of the activated isoprene unit (Vitamins A, D, E, K, ubiquinone). Lipids as intracellular and extracellular signal molecules. Structure and function of biological membranes. Membrane transport (transporters, pumps and ion channels).

Metabolism
General concepts. Energy conversion. Compounds with “energy rich” bonds. Coupled reactions. Catabolism and anabolism.

Carbohydrate metabolism
General information on carbohydrate metabolism. Reactions and enzymes of glycolysis. Thermodynamics of glycolysis. Regulation of glycolysis: regulatory enzymes and their modulators. Lactic and alcoholic fermentation. Catabolism of hexoses other than glucose. Glycogen synthesis and glycogenolysis. Gluconeogenesis and its regulation. Pentose phosphate pathway: reactions and enzymes. Regulation of the pentose phosphate pathway.

Terminal metabolism
Shuttle systems. Pyruvate dehydrogenase. Citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle). Reactions, cycle enzymes and regulation. Thermodynamics and regulation. Catabolic and biosynthetic role of the Krebs cycle. Link between the Krebs cycle and other metabolic pathways. Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation. The complexes of the respiratory chain. Coupling between flow of
electrons and oxidative phosphorylation: mechanism of ATP-synthase. Mitochondrial transport systems.

Lipid metabolism
Digestion and transport of dietary lipids. Plasma lipoproteins. Activation of fatty acids. The β-oxidation: reactions, enzymes and coenzymes. Energy balance of β-oxidation. Glyoxylate cycle. Oxidation of odd chain fatty acids of carbon atoms and unsaturated fatty acids. Ketogenesis and ketone bodies. Synthesis of fatty acids. Elongation and unsaturation of fatty acids. Hormonal regulation. Biosynthesis of triglycerides. Biosynthesis of membrane lipids: phospholipids, cholesterol.

Nucleotide metabolism
Biosynthesis and regulation of nucleotides and pyrimidines. Recovery of purine bases. Biosynthesis of deoxyribonucleotides. Degradation of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides.

Nucleic acids and genetic information
Nucleosides and nucleotides. DNA: structure and properties. Genes and chromosomes. DNA replication. DNA damage and mutations. Structure and function of messenger RNA, ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA. DNA-dependent RNA synthesis. The operons of lactose, arabinose and tryptophan. RNA maturation. Genetic code. Ribosomes: structure and function. Activation of amino acids. Biosynthesis of proteins. Post-translational modifications of proteins. Protein degradation

Amino acid metabolism
Digestion and absorption of dietary proteins. Turnover of intracellular proteins. The catabolism of proteins. Catabolism of amino acids: deamination and transamination. The urea cycle: reactions, enzymes, cell compartmentalization and regulation. Aa glucogenic and ketogenic. Degradation of amino acids. The biosynthesis of non-essential amino acids. Amino acids as precursors of biomolecules: biosynthesis of biogenic amines (adrenaline, histamine, GABA); biosynthesis of creatine phosphate; biosynthesis and function of glutathione; biosynthesis of heme. One-carbon fragment biochemistry.