BIOC 3713 - Biochemistry I - Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ...

experimental techniques that are used to obtain some of the facts that described in the text. The homework
assignments are designed particularly to exercise your reasoning skills. You will likely see similar problems on the
exams.
To master biochemistry and to earn an A, you should study regularly and attentively, as in other courses. Try to
read the assigned sections on the text before each lecture. Review your notes promptly after class, re-read the text,
and be sure to see me if your have unresolved questions or need clarifications. For the exams, you should remember
biochemical structures and mechanisms, by drawing them on a blank sheet of paper repeatedly from memory.
Finally, practice the assigned problems and explore the suggested resources on the internet, to gain a deeper
perspective of biochemistry. Strive to understand the underlying chemical and physical logic of biochemistry, and
you will do very well in this course.
Learning Objectives: As a preview, I have listed below some of the major things that you will learn in this course.
Many concepts and terms may not make sense to you now. They should become very clear to you by the end of this
course.
1. Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, determine the charge and protonation state of biomolecules in
physiological solution, and describe their behavior and function in terms of their state.
2. Master the basic principles of protein structures. You will be able to recognize and sketch all 20 amino
acids, and classify them according to their properties. You will be able to recognize and define the folding
of proteins in terms of their primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures. You will be able to
define protein folding in terms of the rotational conformation of the polypeptide backbone and interactions
of the amino acid residues. You will be introduced to a variety of experimental techniques for studying
structure and function of proteins, including types of chromatography, electrophoresis, mass spectrometry,
X-ray crystallography, and NMR spectroscopy.
3. Master the basic principles of nucleic acid structure and function. You will be able to recognize and sketch
the bases, pairing, and backbone of nucleic acids. You will be able to recognize and describe the
differences between DNA and RNA in both structure and function in living cells.
4. Be introduced to the flow of genetic information. You will learn about the genetic code, the biochemical
machineries that transcribe DNA into RNA, and translate RNA into protein. You will be introduced to a
variety of experimental techniques for sequencing genomes, cloning genes, and regulating gene expression
in bacteria and eukaryotic cells.
5. Be introduced to genetic sequence analysis and evolution. You will learn about bioinformatic
computations, which are used to classify life forms, identify genes, predict protein structure and function,
and identify mutational differences that are correlated to human health and disease.
6. Visualize and understand how the conformational flexibility of proteins regulates their functions. You will
study several case examples, including hemoglobin, myoglobin, myosin, and metabolic enzymes.
7. Analyze and quantify the kinetics of enzyme reactions. You will learn about mechanisms of enzyme
inhibition and regulation.
8. Analyze catalytic mechanisms of enzymes. You will study several case examples, including trypsin,
chymotrypsin, carbonic anhydrases, restriction enzymes, and ATPases.
9. Master the basic principles of the structure and function of carbohydrates and lipids.
10. Be introduced to the components and organization of cell membranes. You will learn about phospholipids,
membrane proteins, ion channels, and ATPase pumps.
11. Be introduced to signal-transduction pathways. You will learn about hormone receptors, GTPase
amplifiers, and cAMP second messengers. You will study a few case examples, including insulin and Ras
pathways, and correlate defects in them to diabetes and cancer.
12. This course will cover a large territory of information, which will lay the groundwork for tackling many
specialized areas of biological science. Therefore, you should strive to understand how biomolecules work
together to carry out the myriad tasks in cells. Hopefully, you will begin to see the unifying chemical logic
that underlies life in all of its great diversity. That is the most important lesson to glean from this course.
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