1. Introduction Into Biochemistry

2. What is Biochemistry? Biochemistry = chemistry of life.
Biochemists use physical and chemical principles to explain biology at the molecular level.
Basic principles of biochemistry are common to all living organism

3. How does biochemistry impact you?
Medicine
Agriculture
Industrial applications
Environmental applications

4. Principle Areas of Biochemistry
Structure and function of biological macromolecules
Metabolism – anabolic and catabolic processes.
Molecular Genetics – How life is replicated. Regulation of protein synthesis

5. Origins of Biochemistry: A challenge to “Vitalism.”
Famous Dead Biochemist!

6. Fallacy #1: Biochemicals can only be produced by living organisms
1828 Friedrich Wohler
Dead Biochemist #1

7. Glucose + Dead Yeast = Alcohol
Fallacy #2: Complex bioconversion of chemical substances require living matter
Dead Biochemists #2
1897 Eduard Buchner
Glucose + Dead Yeast = Alcohol

8. Fallacy #2: Complex bioconversion of chemical substances require living matter
Dead Biochemists #3
Emil Fischer

9. Organization of Life elements simple organic compounds (monomers)
macromolecules (polymers)
supramolecular structures
organelles
cells
tissues
organisms

10. Range of the sizes of objects studies by Biochemist and Biologist
1 angstrom = 0.1 nm

11. Important compounds, functional groups

12. Many Important Biomolecules are Polymers
lipids
proteins
carbo
nucleic acids
monomer
polymer
supramolecular
structure

13. Lipids
monomer
polymer
supramolecular
structure

14. Proteins monomer polymer supramolecular structure amino acid
Enzyme complex
protein subunit
amino acid

15. Carbohydrates
monomer
polymer
supramolecular
structure

16. Nucleic Acids
monomer
polymer
supramolecular
structure

17. Monomers form polymers through condensations
Common theme:
Monomers form polymers through condensations
Polymers are broken down through hydrolysis.