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2020/2021

Biochemistry

Code: 100999 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500502 Microbiology FB 1 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Pablo Fernandez Millan
Email:
Pablo.Fernandez@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Maria del Mar Marquès Bueno

Prerequisites

There are not pre requirement mandatory

Objectives and Contextualisation

In Biochemistry subject is divided in two parts, the first is studied structural and functional properties of biomolecules in a general point of view, emphazaising enzymes and proteins. In the second part metabolism paths and the bases of biosignaling and bioenergetic is studied. The subject objective is provide the molecular and metabolic bases needed for the correct undertanding of other subject of the Microbiology bachelor.


The especifics objectives are:

    Understand the general structural bases of biological molecules.

    Understand the kinetics and enzimatic action concepts in the biological context and their regulation.

    Know the main molecular mechanism in signaling traduction

    Describe de main metabolics pathways of carbohidrates, lipids and nitrogen compount and their regulation.

    Apply previous knowledge in quantitave and qualitative exercicis. 

Competences

  • Communicate orally and in writing.
  • Develop critical reasoning skills in the field of study and in relation to the social context.
  • Identify and solve problems.
  • Interpret, on a molecular scale, microbial mechanisms and processes.
  • Recognise the different levels of organization of living beings, especially animals and plants, diversity and bases of regulation of vital functions of organisms and identify mechanisms of adaptation to the environment.
  • Work individually or in groups, in multidisciplinary teams and in an international context.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Acquire a sound knowledge of the principal metabolic pathways.
  2. Communicate orally and in writing.
  3. Develop critical reasoning skills in the field of study and in relation to the social context.
  4. Identify and solve problems.
  5. Identify the mechanisms that regulate the vital functions of living beings.
  6. Know the basic biological functions of biomolecules.
  7. Know the molecular bases of the organisation of living beings.
  8. Master the concepts of enzyme catalysis and bioenergetics.
  9. Recognise the chemical structure and the physical and chemical properties of biomolecules.
  10. Solve problems on physical and chemical properties and functions of biomolecules.
  11. Work individually or in groups, in multidisciplinary teams and in an international context.

Content

THEORY

BASIC CONCEPTS


Chapter 1. Essential concepts.


Biochemistry: definition and objectives. Chemistry elements of living being. Type of biomolecule bonds. Free energy or Gibbs energy. The importance of weak interactions in biology. Water structure and properties. pH and pKa concept.


BIOMOLECULES: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION


Chapter 2. Amino acids and peptide bond.


Type of protein and function. Amino acids classification and properties. Peptide bond. Amino acid sequence and protein composition: primary and secondary structure. Sequence comparison and protein evolution.


Chapter 3. Proteins.


Level of protein structure. Secondary structure: Alpha helix, beta strands, beta turn. Tertiary structure: fiber and globular proteins. Quaternary structure. Protein folding and determinant factors. Conformational diseases.


Chapter 4. Carbohydrate.


Monosaccharide: aldose, ketose and isomer. Glyosidic bond. Disaccharide and polysaccharides. Glycoconjugate: proteoglycans, glycoproteins and glycolipids. Carbohydrate as Information molecules. Sugar code.


Chapter 5. Nuclei acids.


Nucleotides. Primary structure of nuclei acid. Secondary structure of DNA: Watson and Crick model and alternative structure. Nuclei acid ternary structure: tRNA and DNA supercoil. Chromosome organization.


Chapter 6. Function and protein evolution: oxygen transport proteins.


Oxygen store: myoglobin. Oxygen transport: hemoglobin: Allosteric and cooperative binding. Protein evolution example. Different hemoglobin shapes: physiologic adaptation and molecular pathology.


Chapter 7. Enzymes, enzymatic kinetics and regulation.


Nature and function. Classification and nomenclature of the enzymes.  Catalytic effect in chemistry reactions. Enzymatic mechanism. Enzymatic cofactors. Enzymatic inhibition: allosteric, covalent modification. Biomedical and biotechnological applications.


Chapter 8. Lipids and biological membranes.


Lipid types and function. Structure and function of lipoprotein. Biological membrane.







METABOLISM


Chapter 9. Metabolism Introduction.


Metabolism: concept, organization and types. Biochemistry and thermodynamics reactions: Free energy in the biological process. ATP and other rich energy compounds. Oxidation-reduction biological reactions and electrons transporter. Metabolic process regulation.


Chapter 10. Biosignaling.


Properties of the transduction signal mechanism. Eukaryotic signal transduction system: main receptors. Introduction to signal transduction in prokaryotic.


Chapter 11. Carbohydrates metabolism.


Glycolysis. Lactic and alcoholic fermentation. Pentose phosphate path. Gluconeogenesis. Synthesis and degradation of glycogen. Carbohydrate Metabolism regulation.


Chapter 12. Principal path Oxidant metabolism.


Acetyl-CoA synthesis. Acid citric cycle. Anaplerotic reactions. Glyoxylate cycle.


Chapter 13. Energy transduction: oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthesis.


Quimio-osmotic connection. Mitochondrial electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation. Photosynthetic transport chain and phosphorylation. CO2 assimilation (Calvin cycle).  Introduction to respiratory chain in bacterial photosystems.


 Chapter 14. Lipid catabolism and nitrogen compounds bases.


Triacylglycerol and lipoprotein mobilization. Beta-oxidation of fat acids. Ketogenesis. Nitrogen cycle and urea cycle.


 


Exercises


In seminars, we will practice, from a quantitative and numeric point of view, the following topics studied previously in the subject:


- pH and buffer systems. (Part 1),


- Macromolecules purification and characterization. (Part 2)


- Kinetic enzymatic (Part 3),


- Gibbs energy and equilibrium constant (Part 4),


- Reduction potential and redox reactions (Part 5).


The exercises list will be delivered through Campus Virtual during the course.

Methodology

Teaching methods


The educational content is divided in two part: theory and exercises. Each of them has its self methodology. These activities could be complemented with tutorials concerted with the professor.


Theory lessons.

The teacher will explain the content of the syllabus with the support of the graphic material (class presentations) that will be available to students on the subject's Virtual Campus in advance at the start of each of the course's topics.
These expository sessions will constitute the most important part of the theory section. It is recommended that students have the material published in the CV in printed form to be able to follow classes more comfortably.
Practical lessons. Throughout the course, 10 hours will be devoted to problem class sessions. The group will be divided into two subgroups, the lists of which will be made public at the beginning of the course. Students will attend scheduled sessions for their group. At the beginning of the semester, the dossier of the statements of the problems of the subject that will be solved during the course will be delivered through the Virtual Campus.
The dossier will contain 5 blocks according to the problem agenda, the exercises will be solved and discussed during the problem sessions



Tutorials


The professor will be available for individual or small groups consults when agreed previously.  


Available material in Campus Virtual


Subject guide


Calendar for educational activities


Power point slides used during the lesson


Exercises list and complementary material


Evaluation description

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Exercicis seminars 10 0.4 3, 8, 4, 10, 2
Theory lesson 35 1.4 1, 7, 3, 8, 5, 6, 9
Type: Supervised      
Tutories 3 0.12 1, 7, 3, 8, 5, 4, 6, 9, 10, 2
Type: Autonomous      
Exercicis resolution 28 1.12 3, 8, 4, 10, 2, 11
Study 65 2.6 1, 7, 8, 5, 6, 9, 11

Assessment

Teaching methods


The educational content is divided in two part: theory and exercises. Each of them has its self methodology. These activities could be complemented with tutorials concerted with the professor.


Theory lessons.


The professor explains the content with the power point support. The slides used by the professor will be available in Campus Virtual before the lesson.


Exercise lessons.


There are 10 hours for exercises lessons. The group will be divided in two sub-groups at the beginning of the subject. The exercises list will be available in Campus Virtual. During the subject these exercises will be solved.



Tutorials


The professor will be available for individual or small groups consults when agreed previously.  


Available material in Campus Virtual


Subject guide


Calendar for educational activities


Power point slides used during the lesson


Exercises list and complementary material


Evaluation description


Continuous assessment


The evaluation of this subject is continuous and is based on the following elements:


There are two evaluations, each of them correspond approximately to the half of the chapters (for theory and for exercises).


Theory: Individual evaluation in two partial exams (evaluations 1 and 2 in the calendar) with 30 multiple choice questions. The minimum qualification to pass this part is equal o higher than 3.5 points over 10. The theory area corresponds to the 75% of the final qualification.  


Exercises: Individual evaluation in one exams (evaluations 2 in the calendar) with several exercises different from those done during the lectures. . Thetheory area corresponds to the 25% of the final qualification.  



The students have to be evaluated at minimum 2/3 or 67% of the activities to complete the subject. Any student with less than 67% of the activities evaluated will be classified as “non evaluable”.


Qualification Improving. Any student has the right to repeat any element of the evaluation in order to improve the previous qualification. However, if the new qualification is lower, the new qualification will be the valid one.


The student passes the subject when the following two situations are achieved:


    Final average qualification is 5 or higher (out of 10) following these calculation: Final theory qualification (75%) and exercises (25%): Final qualification  = (Average Theory qualification x 0,75) + (Average exercises qualification x 0,25).


    All the parts of the evaluation have at least 3.5 points (out of 10) in the qualification.  


If as consequence of COVID19,  the proportion of non-face-to-face classes was higher than the face-to-face classes, the dedication and participation of students in online tasks could be taken into account as evaluation elements, both in theory and problems. Being able to modify the global percentages.
										
											
										
											In the event that there are no classrooms with the adequate size for security measures, they will be made virtually.
 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Firts theory exam 37,5% 3 0.12 7, 3, 8, 5, 4, 6, 9, 2
Second exercicis exam 25% 3 0.12 1, 7, 3, 8, 5, 4, 6, 9, 10, 2, 11
Second theory exam 37,5% 3 0.12 1, 7, 5, 4, 10, 2

Bibliography

Bibliography

 Theory (por orden alfabético)


- Feduchi E., Blasco I., Romero C. & Yáñez E. (2011) Bioquímica. Conceptos esenciales. 1ª ed. Ed. Médica Panamericana


- McKee, T. y McKee, J.R. Bioquímica. Las bases moleculares de la vida. (2014). 5a ed. Mc Graw Hill Editores. http://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199316700/


- Murray, R.K. et al. Harper Bioquímica Ilustrada. (2013) 29a ed. Mc Graw Hill Editores..


- Nelson, D.L. and Cox, M.M. Lehninger-Principios de Bioquímica. (2014) 6a ed. Ed. Omega..


- Nelson, D.L. and Cox, M.M. Lehninger-Principles of Biochemistry. (2017) 7a ed. Ed. W.H. Freeman.


- Tymoczko, J.L., Berg, J.M. Stryer L. Bioquímica. Curso básico. (2014) Ed. Reverté.


- Voet D., Voet J.G. and Pratt C.W. Principles of Biochemistry. (2012) 4a ed. Wiley.


 


PROBLEMS


-  Lehninger, Mathews, Stryer books contain problem at the end of each chapter.