Fundamentals of Biochemistry

Course guarantor:

Tomáš Ječmen

Lecturer:

Radek Indra, Tomáš Ječmen

Tutor:

Supervisor:

Department of Nuclear Chemistry

Synopsis:

The course covers the whole field of a general biochemistry as well as basic biochemical pathways. The special attention is paid to make students understand interconnection of cell processes essential for the life.

Requirements:

Knowledge of chemistry on the level of completed bachelor courses of general, inorganic, and organic chemistry.

Syllabus of lectures:

1.Amino acids – classification and chemical properties. Peptides and proteins - peptide bond, classification, structure and function.

2.Enzymes - classification, speed of enzyme reaction, enzyme inhibition, mechanisms of enzyme catalysis

3.Monosaccharides - classification and physico-chemical properties. Disaccharides. Polysaccharides - structure and storage function. Saccharide derivatives.

4.Metabolism of simple saccharides - glycolysis, fermentation, gluconeogenesis. Pentose phosphate pathway. Glycogen and starch metabolism, Calvin cycle.

5.Lipids – fatty acids and other lipids. Cell membrane - composition and role. Membrane transport - passive and active transport.

6.Nucleic acids – building blocks of nucleic acids, role of selected nucleotides. DNA damage. DNA replication.

7.Protein synthesis - transcription a translation. Gene expression and regulation protein synthesis. Post translational modification of proteins.

8.Citric acid and glyoxylate cycles. Anaplerotic reactions.

9.Metabolism of triglycerides. Degradation and synthesis of fatty acids. Biosynthesis of isoprenoids and steroid hormones.

10.Bioenergetics - macroergic compounds. Substrate and membrane phosphorylation. Respiratory chain and ATP formation. Photosynthesis - light reactions.

11.Nitrogen metabolism. Nitrogen fixation. Degradation of proteins – biogenic amines. Hemoproteins - heme biosynthesis. Synthesis and degradation of nucleic bases and amino acids. Urea cycle.

12.Regulatory mechanisms and hormones, G proteins and phosphorylation cascade.

Syllabus of tutorials:

Study Objective:

The course provides the students with the knowledge of the structure and function of biochemically significant compounds and biochemistry of physiological processes.

The students will acquire competence to o apprehend the advanced courses from the specialised fields of chemistry and life sciences.

Study materials:

Key Literature:

1.D. L. Nelson, M. M. Cox: Lehninger's Principles of Biochemistry, 5th Ed., W.H.Freeman and Comp., New York, 2008

2.J. M. Berg, J. L. Timoczko, L. Stryer: Biochemistry, 7th Ed., W.H.Freeman and Company, New York, 2011

Recommended Literature:

3.J. Koolman, K. H. Roehm: Color Atlas of Biochemistry, 3rd Ed., Thieme, Stuttgart, New York, 2013

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2024/2025:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon	room Hodek P. 11:00–12:50 (lecture parallel1)
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri

Time-table for summer semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Jaderná chemie (compulsory course in the program)