Download What is Biochemistry? Biochemistry is the study of

What is Biochemistry?
Why should you study it?
Biochemistry is the study of life on a
molecular level
Biochemistry is a Research Discipline Applicable
to Real World
Medicine – Clinical
• Diagnose and monitor diseases
– Transaminase levels
– Hemoglobin breakdown product – bilirubin
– Measure isoforms of Lactate dehydrogenase to determine extent
of myocardial infarctions
• Designer Drugs
– New and Improved antibiotics
– New and Improved chemotherapy agents
• Protein Diseases
Agriculture
• Herbicides and Pesticides
• Transgenic crops
Industry
• Synthesis
• Detoxification
Biochemistry can be divided into
three areas of study
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Conformational - structure and three-dimensional arrangements of
biomolecules.
Metabolism – energy production and utilization
Informational - language for communication inside and between
cells
Biochemistry 410 covers
– The structure and conformation of biological molecules
– The DNA → RNA → protein transfer of information
Biochemistry 411 covers
– Metabolism and the metabolic aspects of cellular communication
Biochemistry 303 covers
– It all in one semester
Biochemistry seeks to describe the structure, organization,
and function of living organisms in molecular terms
In order to understand the life on the molecular level, you must
first have a:
• Knowledge of the chemical structures of the biological molecules
• Understanding of the biological function of the molecules
• Understanding of bioenergetics – the study of energy flow in cells
The Chemical Composition of
Biomolecules
H, O, C and N make up 99+% of atoms in the human body
ELEMENT PERCENTAGE
Oxygen
63
Hydrogen
25.2
Carbon
9.5
Nitrogen
1.4
• Hydrogen, Carbon, Oxygen and Nitrogen comprise over
99% of the mass in most cells
• These elements are the backbone of biomolecules
because they are capable of forming strong covalent
bonds
Chemical Reactions that occur inside the cell are the same
that occur outside the cell
Biomolecules are Carbon Compounds
or Organic Compounds
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Carbon atoms can from single, double and triple bonds
More importantly, a single carbon atom can form single bonds with
up to four other carbon atoms
Covalently linked carbon atoms can form linear chains, branched
chains and cyclic structures
Covalent bonds are the “glue” that holds compounds together
Functional Groups
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Groups of other atoms that are attached to the carbon backbone
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Determine the chemical properties / diversity of the biomolecules
an alkene
CH 3 CH= CH2
an alcohol
CH 3 CH2 OH
an ether
CH 3 OCH3
an amine
( CH 3 ) 2 N H
a thiol
CH 3 CH2 SH
O
an aldehyde CH 3 CH
a ketone
O
CH 3 CCH3
a carboxylic acid
O
CH 3 COH
a carboxylic e ster
O
CH 3 COCH 3
O
an amide
CH3 CNH 2
O
a phosphoric ester HO- P-OCH3
a phosphoric acid
anhydride
OH
O
O
HO- P-O- P-OH
OH
OH
Basic Structure of Biomolecules
Large Biomolecules are generally polymers of simpler
biomolecular units or micromolecules
Biological Micromolecules
• Nucleotide
• Amino acid
• Carbohydrate
• Lipid
Biological Macromolecules
• Nucleic Acids
• Proteins
• Polysaccharides
Biological Micro-molecules → Macromolecules
Organelles, cells and organisms
Biomolecules tend to cluster together, forming increasing
more complex structures
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Cell membranes - lipid/protein
Chromatin - DNA/protein
Ribosomes - RNA/protein
Cytoskeleton - fibrous protein structure
Viruses - assemblages of a DNA or RNA strand
wrapped in a protein package
Organelles, cells and organisms
Prokaryotes - Bacteria
Simplest Living System
• Prokaryotes are unicellular
• Prokaryotes generally have one cellular
membrane.
• The interior is known as the cytoplasm.
Eukaryotes
• Eukaryotes are multicellular
• Organelles
Biochemist are concerned
everything!
Biochemist look at
• The atomic level
• The structural level
• The cellular level
• The role of the cell in the organism
• Communication
– Cell to cell
– Biomolecule to biomolecule
• Metabolic coordination