This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Biosignalling and Metabolism

Code: 107525 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Biology OB 2

Contact

Name:
Ana Paula Candiota Silveira
Email:
anapaula.candiota@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no official prerequisites. However, students are expected to have gained knowledge from subjects of the first year of Biology degree, in particular contents from the subjects of Chemistry, Cell Biology and especially the ones related to Structure and function of Biomolecules, such as principles of bioenergetics, enzymology, structure and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The subject Biosignalling and Metabolism is the second part of the subject "Biochemistry" of the Biology Degree dealing with processes related to living organisms functioning, in each organizational level, from a basic and general point of view, as expected from a second-course subject. The general objective of this subject is to describe the signal transduction mechanisms, as well as the main metabolic pathways and their regulation and coordination at the molecular level. It has the goal of providing the basics of the molecular and metabolic aspects necessary for the follow-up of various subjects of the Degree in Biology.

Specific objectives of the subject:

- To get familiarized with the main molecular mechanisms of signal transduction.

- To describe the main metabolic pathways of carbohydrates, lipids, and nitrogen-containing compounds, their regulation and coordination.

- To describe the components of the electron transport chain, its coupling with oxidative phosphorylation and the production of metabolic energy.

- To describe photosynthesis and its regulation.

- To describe the integration of metabolism with special emphasis on mammals.

- Application of the knowledge acquired for solving qualitative and quantitative problems.


Learning Outcomes

  1. CM18 (Competence) Interpret the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters that define enzymatic reactions to provide innovative responses to the needs and demands of society.
  2. KM29 (Knowledge) Correctly describe the main metabolic pathways and their control and integration mechanisms.
  3. KM31 (Knowledge) Describe the catalytic mechanisms of enzymatic reactions and their inhibition and regulation mechanisms.
  4. KM32 (Knowledge) Identify the specific bibliographic sources in biochemistry that allow, in an autonomous way, to develop and broaden the knowledge acquired.
  5. SM27 (Skill) Apply the most appropriate experimental approaches to the study of the structure and function of biomolecules.

Content

THEORY

Topic 1. Basics of metabolism.

Concepts of metabolism and metabolic pathway.  Stages of metabolism. Free energy in biological processes. Coupled reactions. Role of ATP and other phosphorylated compounds in metabolism. Oxide-reductions in biochemical processes. Role of the electron transporters in metabolism.

Topic 2. Basic concepts of metabolic regulation.

Regulation of enzymatic activity. Allosteric enzymes. Regulation by covalent modification. General aspects of gene expression regulation. Control and compartmentalization of metabolic pathways.

Topic 3. Biosignalling.

Hormones, neurotransmitters, and other primary messengers. Membrane and intracellular receptors.  Molecular mechanisms of signal transduction. Integration of effects at cytoplasmic and nuclear levels.

Topic 4. Carbohydrate metabolism.

Degradation of glucose: glycolysis and of pentose phosphate pathway. Fermentation. Gluconeogenesis. Synthesis and degradation of glycogen. Use of other carbohydrates. Coordination in control of glucose and glycogen metabolism: the importance of tissular metabolic specialization.

Topic 5. Central routes of oxidative metabolism.

Production of acetyl-CoA.  The citric acid cycle. Energy yield and regulation. Anaplerotic reactions. The glyoxylate cycle.

Topic 6. Electronic transport and oxidative phosphorylation.

Mitochondrial electron transport chain. Origin and use of reduced substrates.Chemiosmotic coupling: ATP synthase and oxidative phosphorylation.  Mitochondrial transport systems. Regulation of oxidative phosphorylation. Energy yield of oxidative metabolism.

Topic 7. Photosynthesis.

The basic process of photosynthesis. Photosynthetic pigments. Absorption of light energy. Electron transport and photophosphorylation. Assimilation of CO2 and photosynthetic biosynthesis of sugars (Calvin cycle). Regulation of photosynthesis. Photorespiration and C3-C4 plants.

Topic  8. Lipid metabolism.

Use of triacylglycerols in animals. Metabolism of lipoproteins. Description and regulation of the fatty acid oxidation pathway. Ketogenesis. Description and regulation of the fatty acids biosynthetic pathway. Biosynthesis of triacylglycerols and phospholipids. Cholesterol metabolism.

Topic 9. Metabolism of nitrogen-containing compounds.

The nitrogen cycle. General characteristics of the synthesis and degradation of amino acids. Metabolic fate of the carbon skeleton of amino acids. Removal of ammonia and the urea cycle. General characteristics of the metabolism of the nucleotides. Biomedical applications of nucleotide analogs: AIDS, cancer.

Topic 10. Integration of metabolism.

Specific tissue metabolism. Coordination between the metabolisms of the liver, muscle (skeletal and cardiac), adipose tissue, and brain. Main regulatory hormones. Stress and adaptations of metabolism.

 

PROBLEMS

The problems will focus on some aspects of the theory program. They may concentrate on certain aspects, such as the enzymatic reactions of oxidation-reduction, transaminations, etc. A dossier with the problem statements will be delivered through the Virtual Campus.

LABORATORY PRACTICES

There will be two sessions of 4 hours about the following  themes:

1- Measurement of the enzymatic activity of pyruvate kinase in rat muscle and liver.

2- Extraction and identification of the lipids present in food.

The protocols and questionnaires will be delivered through the Virtual Campus and students may bring them to the practical session.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Laboratory practice 8 0.32 CM18, SM27, CM18
Problem-solving classes 8 0.32 CM18, CM18
Seminar with variable topic 2 0.08 KM32, KM32
Theoretical classes 32 1.28 KM29, KM31, KM29
Type: Supervised      
Mentoring sessions 6 0.24 CM18, KM29, KM31, CM18
Type: Autonomous      
Individual study 60 2.4 CM18, KM29, KM31, CM18
Self-learning exercises 16 0.64 KM29, KM31, KM32, KM29

Training activities are distributed into four sections: theoretical classes, problem-solving classes, seminars with variable topic and laboratory practical classes, each one with a specific methodology. These activities can be complemented by mentoring sessions if needed.

Theoretical classes

The teacher will explain the contents of the subject matter with audiovisual support which will be further available for students at the "Campus Virtual". The language of the support material will be Catalan, Spanish or English. These sessions will be the most important part of the theoretical section.

Problem-solving classes

During the course, 8 hours will be devoted to problem-solving classes. 

Students will be divided into 2 subgroups, and lists with the composition of groups will be made available at the course starting. Students should attend the classes planned for his/her subgroup.

At the beginning of the semester, a problem statement dossier for the course will be distributed through the Virtual Campus, which will be solved throughout the sessions. In a limited number of sessions spread throughout the semester, the problem instructors will present the necessary experimental and calculation principles to work on the problems, explaining the guidelines for their resolution. Students will work on the problems outside of class hours. The in-person sessions will be dedicated to solving problems previously worked on outside the classroom. Students, in groups of 3-4, will discuss their solutions to the problems/cases and defend them in class.

Seminars with variable topic (activity in English)

They will be conducted in the same subgroups as the problem-solving classes. The topic will be related to the course but will not be part of the theoretical syllabus and will not be subject to evaluation. The session planning consists of a 5-minute presentation per group of students, on a topic to be definedjointly.

Laboratory practice

Students will be divided into eight subgroupsand group compositions will be announced in advance. In order to ensure proper development and safety of practical sessions, only changes clearly justified and previously agreed with theory and laboratory teachers will be accepted. It is mandatory that moving a student towards another group is accompanied by the corresponding change from a student of the other group. Students should attend to the class with lab coat, chemical safety googles, the practice protocols printed and read (they will be made available through "Campus Virtual"), and a notebook to write down data obtained in class.

On the established days, students will be called to the Biochemistry laboratory to perform basic experiments for biomolecules properties determination and analysis. The lab work and its evaluation will be performed in groups of two or other compositions suggested by the corresponding teacher. After each session, a questionnaire may be delivered by each group with results and answers to the proposed questions.

Mentoring sessions

These sessions will be individual and planned according to students' requests. The objective of these sessions is to solve queries, refresh basic concepts and sources for consulting, and foster discussions about self-learning issues, or issues proposed by teachers. These sessionswill not be expository and will not 'advance' in official subjects, being devoted to discussion.

Resources available at "Campus Virtual"

Teaching guide

Slides from theoretical classes

Laboratory practice protocols

List of self-learning themes and suggested reading sources

Schedule of teaching activities (theoretical/problem classes, laboratory practices, evaluations)

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Laboratory work evaluation 10 8 0.32 CM18, SM27
Problem-solving evaluation 30 3 0.12 CM18, KM29, KM31, KM32, SM27
Theoretical exams 60 7 0.28 KM29, KM31

This subject will have a continuous performance evaluation. The objective of the continuous evaluation is to foster students' efforts along the different topics, as well as monitoring their understanding and progress.

Theoretical evaluation:

Individual evaluation consisting of:

- Two partial exams with multiple choice and also development questions. The weight of each partial exam is 30% of the overall global score. There are no requirements for attendance.

- One retake exam with multiple choice questions and development questions corresponding to the first or second partial exams. To be eventually eligible for the application of the retake process for final grading, the student should have been evaluated in a set of activities equaling at least two thirds of the final score of the course or module. Thus, the student will be graded as "No Avaluable" (Not Assessable) if the weighting of all conducted evaluation activities, before application of the retake evaluation derived grades, is less than 67% of the final score.

Students obtaining a grade below 4.0 out of 10.0  of one or both partial exams should attend to the retake exam (for the first, second or both partials).

It is possible to improve grades obtained in partial theoretical exams standing for the retake exam. However, the final score will be the one obtained in the retake exam, regardless it is better, equal or worst to the partial exam.

The overall weight of theoretical evaluation will be 60%.  

Problem-solving evaluation:

The problem-solving part will have continuous assessment. This will be broken down into three parts: 1) solving problems/cases and defending them in the classroom in groups of 3-4 people (10%); 2) working on and delivering problems in class (10%); 3) individual examination assessment of problems (10%, i.e. 5% each partial exam). Lack of attendance in the problem sessions will negatively impact the individual grade.

The assessment of the problems is continuous throughout the course and will not be recoverable.

The overall weight of problem-solving evaluation will be 30%.  

Laboratory practice evaluation:

Group evaluation consisting of:

- Presentation of the obtained results during laboratory work and answers to the proposed questions. Behaviour and conduct in the laboratory will be also taken into consideration.

Attending to the practical sessions is mandatory. Students will be graded as "No Avaluable" (Not Assessable) when absence is above 20% of the planned classes. 

Only exceptional and properly justified group changes will be accepted and documentary proof should be provided. In case of justified non-attendance to a practical session and the impossibility to attend to a different group, this session will not be taken into account for calculating the final score.

The overall weight of laboratory practice evaluation will be 10%.  

 

Single Assessment

 Students who chose to perform final single assessment might attend to the laboratory practical sessions (PLAB) in presential sessions and must pass; it will have a weight of 10%.

The single assessment will consist of a synthesis examination (with multiple choice questions and also questions to develop) about contents of the whole theory and problems program.

The qualification obtained in the synthesis examination is 80% of the final qualification in the subject; the practical sessions qualification is 10% and the remaining 10% come from problem-solving questions

The single assessment will take place at the same date of the last continuous evaluation examination and will have the same system for retake evaluation. At the same day, students must deliver the solved problems and the questions proposed in the moodle for delivery as commented before. In order to pass the subject, students must have a minimum qualification of 5 /10 in each one of its parts (synthesis examination, PLAB, delivery). 

 

Calculating scores

The three components are indivisible, meaning participation and evaluation in all of them are required to pass the course. The final grade is calculated with the theory component accounting for 60%, the problem-solving component 30%, and the practicals the remaining 10%. The course will be considered passed when the final grade is equal to or greater than 50 out of a maximum of 100.

The course cannot be passed if one or more theory partial exams have a grade lower than 4.0. In this case, the maximum grade that can be recorded will be 4.5.

Other remarks:

Students who are unable to attend an individual assessment due to a justified cause (such as illness, death of a first-degree relative, or accident) and provide the corresponding official documentation to the Degree Coordinator, will have the right to take the assessment on another date.

Students who need to retake the course in the recovery exam will not be eligible for the highest grade of honors ("matrícula d'honor")  but can achieve a maximum grade of excellent. Students who take the recovery exam forfeit their partial exam grade, and the final grade will be that of the recovery exam.

Students will receive the grade of "Not Evaluable" when the completed assessment activities account for less than 67% of the final grade. This means that students must have taken both midterm exams if they wish to be eligiblefor the recovery exam, and absence from amidterm exam will result in a "Not Evaluable" grade.

Repeating students will not be required to carry out the teaching activities or assessments of the competencies already passed from the second enrollment of the course onwards. These include group work in problem-solving classes, practicals, and submission of assignments.

For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translations. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and final outcome of the activity. Non-transparency regarding the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a partial or total penalty on the activity grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.


Bibliography

Due to the request of providing as many remote resources as possible,  relevant examples of bibliography fully available through "ARE UAB" (https://www-uab-cat.are.uab.cat/biblioteques/). There are several additional resources, you will find below some preselected ones:

Berg, Jeremy M. ; Tymoczko, John L. ; Stryer, Lubert. Bioquímica: con aplicaciones clínicas . Ingebook (UAB) 2013

ISSN: 9788429194128  (online). 7ª ed. Editorial Reverté

https://bibcercador.uab.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UAB/avjcib/alma991009089459706709

 

Fromm, Herbert J. Essentials of Biochemistry

ISBN: 978-3-642-19623-2. Springer

https://bibcercador.uab.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UAB/1c3utr0/cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9783642196249

 

Gerald Litwack. Human Biochemistry

ISBN: 978-0-12-383864-3. Academic Press

https://bibcercador.uab.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UAB/1c3utr0/cdi_proquest_ebookcentral_EBC6818682

 

Donald Voet. Fundamentos de Bioquímica: La vida a nivel molecular

ISBN: 978-607-9356-96-5. 

https://bibcercador.uab.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UAB/1eqfv2p/alma991007007959706709

 

Nelson, D.L. i Cox, M.M. "Lehninger-Principios de Bioquímica" (2021) 8ª.ed. Ed. Omega. 

https://bibcercador.uab.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UAB/1c3utr0/cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9781319322397

 

Basic resources that can be borrowed on-site at the faculty library: 

Berg, JM, Tymoczko, JL, Gatto, GJ i Stryer, L. "Biochemistry" (2015).Berg, JM, Tymoczko, JL, Gatto, GJ y Stryer, L. "Biochemistry"(2015). 8ª ed. 8ª ed.WH Freeman, New York. WH Freeman, New York.Edició traduïda: "Bioquímica" (2013). Edición traducida: "Bioquímica" (2013).7ª ed. 7ª ed.Ed. Ed.Reverté. Reverté.Traduït de la 7ª ed. Traducido de la 7ª ed.anglesa de l'any 2012. Ed. inglesa del año 2012. Ed.WH Freeman. WH Freeman.www.whfreeman.com/stryerwww.whfreeman.com/stryer

Horton, R., Moran, L., Scrimgeour, G., Perry, M. i Rawn, D. "Principios de Bioquímica" (2007).Horton, R., Moran, L., Scrimgeour, G., Perry, M. yRawn, D. "Principios de Bioquímica" (2007). 4ª ed. 4ª ed.Ed. Ed.Pearson. Pearson.Traduït de la 4ª ed. Traducido de la 4ª ed.anglesa de l'any 2005, Ed. inglesa del año 2005, Ed.Pearson. Pearson. També hi ha la 5a edició en anglès: Moran, L., Horton, R., Scrimgeour, G., Perry, M., and Rawn, D. 'Principles of Biochemistry' (2013) Pearson International Edition. También existe la 5ª edición en inglés: Moran, L., Horton, R., Scrimgeour, G., Perry, M., and Rawn, D. 'Principles of Biochemistry' (2013) Pearson International Edition.

McKee, T i McKee, JR "Bioquímica. Las bases moleculares de la vida" (2014) 5ª ed.McKee, T y McKee, JR "Bioquímica. Las bases moleculares de la vida" (2014) 5ª ed. McGraw-Hill-Interamericana, Madrid. McGraw-Hill-Interamericana, Madrid.Traduït de la 5ª ed. Traducido de la 5ª ed.anglesa de l'any 2013, ed. inglesa del año 2013, ed.Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press.També hi ha la 6a edició en anglès 'Biochemistry. También existe la 6ª edición en inglés 'Biochemistry.The Molecular Basis of Life' (2015). The MolecularBasis of Life '(2015).

Tymoczko, JL, Berg, JM y Stryer, L. "Bioquímica. Curso básico" (2014). 2ª ed. 2ª ed.Ed. Ed.Reverté, Barcelona. Reverté, Barcelona.Traduït de la 2ª ed. Traducido de la 2ª ed.anglesa de l'any 2013. inglesa del año 2013.

Voet D., Voet JG i Pratt CW "Fundamentos de Bioquímica.Voet D., Voet JG y Pratt CW "Fundamentos de Bioquímica. La vida a nivel molecular" (2016) 4ª ed. Ed. Médica Panamericana. Traduït de la 4ª ed. anglesa de l'any 2013. La vida a nivel molecular "(2016) 4ª ed. Ed. Médica Panamericana. Traducido de la 4ª ed.Inglesa del año 2013.


Software

There are no specific software for this subject. However, routine software for text edition, calculation sheet, and PDF reading will be needed.


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 121 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 122 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 121 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 122 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 123 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 124 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 12 Catalan first semester morning-mixed