Course Overview

Introduction to Biochemistry I

BCH4053.0001: Biochemistry I is a college-level course offered by the Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences. The course provides a detailed study of the chemical structures, reactivities, and biological functions of biomolecules, focusing on carbohydrates, nucleotides, lipids, proteins, and enzymes, as well as their roles in metabolism and bioenergetics. The course is divided into four modules, each covering major classes of biomolecules and their biochemical significance.

Course Structure and Topics

Main Modules

• Module I: Water in biomolecules, protein function, and enzyme catalysis and inhibition.

• Module II: Carbohydrates, nucleic acids, DNA-based information technologies.

• Module III: Lipids, membrane transport, bioenergetics, and biological examples of biochemical reactions.

• Module IV: Metabolism and bioenergetics of biochemical reactions.

Key Biochemical Topics

• Properties of Water: Importance in biological systems, hydrogen bonding, and solvent properties.

• Buffer Systems: Role in maintaining pH, Henderson-Hasselbalch equation:

• Amino Acids and Proteins: Structure, classification, and function. Protein purification and sequencing techniques.

• Protein Structure: Levels of structure (primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary), motifs, stability, and folding.

• Enzyme Mechanisms: Catalysis, inhibition, kinetics. Michaelis-Menten equation:

• Carbohydrates: Structure and function of monosaccharides, polysaccharides, and glycoproteins.

• Nucleic Acids: DNA/RNA structure, sequencing, and function in information storage and transfer.

• Lipids: Classification, structure, and role in membranes and bioenergetics.

• Membranes: Protein and lipid composition, structure, and assembly.

• Bioenergetics: Thermodynamics and kinetics in biological systems. Gibbs free energy equation:

• Metabolism: Pathways and regulation, including hormone signaling and receptor mechanisms.

Course Activities and Assessment

Learning Outcomes

• Link concepts from general and organic chemistry to biochemistry.

• Explain biochemical processes and molecular mechanisms.

• Identify biomolecules and their polymerization products.

• Interpret biochemical data and thermodynamic principles.

Assessment and Grading

Letter Grade Distribution

Course Schedule Highlights

Weekly Topics

• Week 1: Thermodynamics & properties of water

• Week 2: Buffer systems, amino acid structure & derivatives

• Week 3: Protein purification & sequencing

• Week 4: Protein structure, motifs, stability, and folding

• Week 5: Oxygen binding to hemoglobin & myoglobin, structure-function correlation

• Week 6: Muscle contraction, enzyme mechanisms, lysozyme & serine protease

• Week 7: Enzyme kinetics & inhibition

• Week 9: Carbohydrates, nucleic acids

• Week 10: Nucleic acid sequencing, lipids

• Week 11: Membrane structure & assembly

• Week 12: Thermodynamics, passive & active transport

• Week 13: Hormones, receptor tyrosine kinase, G proteins

• Week 14: Phosphoinositide pathway, metabolism

Course Policies and Resources

• Academic Integrity: Adherence to university policies.

• Accessibility: Support for students with disabilities.

• Campus Safety: Emergency procedures and resources.

• Support Services: Academic and non-academic resources available to students.

Additional info:

• This syllabus covers foundational biochemistry topics that overlap with organic chemistry, such as amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and enzyme mechanisms. However, the primary focus is on biological molecules and their functions rather than organic reaction mechanisms.

• Equations such as the Henderson-Hasselbalch and Michaelis-Menten are central to both biochemistry and organic chemistry studies.