1. Introduction to 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. Life Before Biochemistry

6. Once upon a time, a long long time ago…..
Vitalism: idea that substances and processes associated with living organisms did not behave according to the known laws of physics and chemistry
Evidence:
Only living things have a high degree of complexity
Only living things extract, transform and utilize energy from their environment
Only living things are capable of self assembly and self replication

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

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

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

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

11. Fallacy #2: Complex bioconversion of chemical substances require living matter
Dead Biochemists #4
1926 J.B. Sumner

12. Findings of other famous dead biochemist
1944 Avery, MacLeod and McCarty identified DNA as information molecules
1953 Watson (still alive) and Crick proposed the structure of DNA
1958 Crick proposed the central dogma of biology

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

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

15. Elements of Life
Most abundant, essential for all organisms: C, N, O, P, S, H
Less abundant, essential for all organisms : Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cl
Trace levels, essential for all organism: Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn
Trace levels, essential for some organisms: V, Cr, Mo, B, Al, Ga, Sn, Si, As, Se, I,

16. Important compounds, functional groups

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

18. Lipids
monomer
polymer
supramolecular
structure

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

20. Carbohydrates
monomer
polymer
supramolecular
structure

21. Nucleic Acids
monomer
polymer
supramolecular
structure

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

24. Prokaryote Cell

25. Cellular Organization of an E. coli Cell
200 – 300 mg protein / mL cytoplasm

26. Eukaryote Cell

27. Nuclear envelope and endoplasmic reticulum of a eukaryotic cell.

28. Golgi apparatus. Often associated with the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus is responsible for the modification and sorting of some biomolecules. The proteins inserted into the lumen of the ER are transported to the Golgi apparatus for sorting and secretion. Vesicles carry modified material to destinations inside and outside the cell.

29. Mitochondrion. Mitochondria are the main sites of energy transduction in aerobic eukaryotic cells. Carbohydrates, fatty acids, and amino acids are metabolized in this organelle.

30. Chloroplast. Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis in plants and algae. Light energy is captured by pigments associated with the thylakoid membrane and used to convert carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates.