Introduction to Biochemistry I PDF

Introduction to Biochemistry DR. Bior What is Biochemistry? A science that integrates life and chemistry: the chemistry of living things and life process. A science that attempts to determine how biological molecules can interact in health and disease by describing their structure,...

Introduction to Biochemistry DR. Bior What is Biochemistry? A science that integrates life and chemistry: the chemistry of living things and life process. A science that attempts to determine how biological molecules can interact in health and disease by describing their structure, organizations and functions. It can be divided into 3 principal areas: Structural chemistry Metabolism Chemistry of Molecular Genetics Molecules of Biochemistry: Life is about bags of biochemical reactions. Atoms, molecules and chemical bonds The chemistry of water The chemistry of carbon atoms The 4 biological molecules: Carbohydrates Lipids Proteins Nucleic acids Important Concepts The human body requires inorganic and organic molecules to function properly. Inorganic molecules serve vital functions such as electrolytes in the body fluids. Organic molecules: are mostly used in metabolic reactions that result in the release or storage of chemical energy and ultimately for growth processes to resume. Functions of Organic Molecules Simple organic molecules (carbon containing) must have formed These molecules must have organized into more complex molecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. In 1930, a Russian scientist, Alexander Oparin, hypothesized that “Life began in oceans by chemical reactions with the atmosphere, lightening, and Earth’s heat to produce organic molecules”. The Chemistry of Life Macromolecules Macromolecules or organic compounds make up the body. The backbone of these compounds is carbon, hence forming carbon-containing compounds. They a core based around carbon atom. The core has attached groups of atoms called “Functional groups”. The functional groups confer or provide specific chemical properties on the organic molecules. Monomers link together to form polymers by dehydration synthesis or reaction and those polymers are broken apart by the process of hydrolysis (addition of water-e.g. food digestion). Chemical Reactions in Biochemistry Biochemical reactions are chemical reactions that occur in living organisms and often involve macromolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. There are many types of biochemical reactions, but they can be categorized into a few groups: Oxidation and reduction: For example, the conversion of an alcohol into an aldehyde Movement of functional groups: For example, the transfer of phosphate groups between oxygen atoms Addition and removal of water: For example, the hydrolysis of an amide linkage into an amine and a carboxyl group Bond-breaking reactions: For example, the breakage of carbon-carbon bonds Some other examples of biochemical reactions: Digestion Thousands of chemical reactions occur during digestion, such as when amylase in saliva breaks down carbohydrates into simpler forms that the body can absorb. Cellular respiration This aerobic process uses oxygen to transfer chemical energy from food into ATP. It's a series of reactions that includes glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain. Major Biochemical & Enzymatic Mediated Reactions six major classes of biochemical reactions that are mediated by enzymes. These include: group transfer reactions, the formation/removal of carbon-carbon double bonds, isomerization reactions, ligation reactions, hydrolysis reactions, and oxidation-reduction reactions.