BIOCHEMISTRY

The course aims to provide students with the fundamentals of Biochemistry, starting from the structure-function of biomolecules to get to the basic concepts of metabolism.

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. biological macromolecules: proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and polysaccharides. Composition and structure of biological membranes. membrane proteins. Ionophores. Porins. carrier proteins. translocation systems: uniporto, SimPort, antiporter. glucose transport. active transport driven by ATP: sodium / potassium ATPase.

Structure and function of nucleic acids (purine and pyrimidine bases, nucleosides and nucleotides)

Role of DNA as the carrier of genetic information. role of messenger RNA and transfer RNA in protein translation. genetic code. Communications inter- and intra-cellular. Molecules involved in cell recognition: role of membrane carbohydrates. intercellular communication mechanisms: nervous on and on hormone. structural and functional characteristics of the different types of receptors for hormones and growth factors. of signal transduction pathways (G proteins, Ras and MAP kinase cascade of proteins, intracellular second messengers). Molecules involved in the cycle and cell proliferation control (cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases). mechanisms of cell death: necrosis and apoptosis.

Proteins: Structure, stereochemistry, and acid-base properties of amino acids. peptide bond. Primary, secondary (α-helix, β sheets), tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins. Denaturation and refolding of proteins. Fibrous proteins: alpha-keratin, silk fibroin and collagen.

Myoglobin and hemoglobin: Structure and function. Structure and role of the prosthetic group. Cooperativity of oxygen binding to hemoglobin. Bohr effect. Allosteric effectors of hemoglobin. Sickle cell anemia.

Allosteric proteins: symmetrical pattern and dell'allosterismo sequential model.

Enzymes: Substrate specificity, active site. Nomenclature and classification of enzymes. Enzyme kinetics. Michaelis Menten equation. Inhibition of enzyme activity. Regulation of enzyme activity in metabolic pathways: allosteric regulation and covalent modifications.

Introduction to metabolism: catabolic processes, biosynthetic, anfibolici. Vitamins. Coenzymes.

Bioenergetics: Free energy of biochemical reactions.

Mitochondrial respiratory chain and its regulation, inhibitors and uncoupling; energy-rich compounds.

Carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation. Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates; glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, the Krebs cycle, glycogen synthesis, glycogenolysis, pentose. hormonal regulation of glucose metabolism. protein methabolism metabolism and its regulation: transamination, decarboxylation, desaminazione. metabolic fate of ammonia, urea cycle, metabolism of the main amino acids. Phenylketonuria and celiac disease.

Lipid metabolism and its regulation. Functions and classification of lipids. Lipid transport in the blood (plasma lipoproteins). Beta-oxidation, oxidation-alpha, omega-oxidation of saturated fatty acids. Ketogenesis and extra-hepatic utilization of ketone bodies. Lipogenesis. Cholesterol biosynthesis and its regulation. Diseases of abnormal lipid metabolism (dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis).

Heme metabolism: biosynthesis, degradation, jaundice, porphyria.

Metabolism of nucleotides and its regulation: ex-novo biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, recovery streets, uricogenesi. free radicals and defense mechanisms: definition and physicochemical characteristics of the radicals, endogenous production, toxicity and defense mechanisms.

1. D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox: I Principi di Biochimica di Lehninger, Ed. Zanichelli

2. C.K. Mathews, K.E. van Holde: Biochimica, Ed. Ambrosiana, Milano.

3. J.M. Berg, J.L. Tymoczko, L. Stryer: Biochimica, Ed. Zanichelli

4. D. Voet, J.G. Voet, C.W. Pratt: Fondamenti di Biochimica, Ed. Zanichelli.