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Introductory Biochemistry Instructor: Dr. David Shintani Office: 311C Fleischmann Ag. E-mail: shintani@unr.edu Phone: (775) 784-4631
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How to be successful in this class come to class!!! read ahead in the text don’t fall behind understand the material memorize structures and pathways study in groups see me for help during office hours
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What is Biochemistry? Biochemistry is the study of the molecules and chemical reactions of life. The Biochemist uses physical and chemical principles to explain biology at the molecular level. Basic principles of biochemistry are common to all living organism
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What can we do with biochemistry? Medicine Agriculture Industrial applications Environmental applications
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Principle Areas of Biochemistry Structural chemistry Metabolism Molecular Genetics
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Origins of Biochemistry: A challenge to “Vitalism.” Vitalism: idea that substances and processes associated with living organisms did not behave according to the known laws of physics and chemistry 1828 - Friedrich Wohler synthesized urea from an inorganic compound in a test tube. 1897 – Eduard and Hans Buchner showed that an extract from killed yeast could convert glucose to ethanol in vitro. Emil Fischer – proposed the idea of “enzymes” as biological catalyst for chemical reactions. Proposed “lock and key” 1926 – J.B. Sumner crystallized the protein urease
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Organization of Life elements simple organic compounds (monomers) Macromolecules (polymers) supramolecular structures organelles cells tissues organisms
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Range of the sizes of objects studies by Biochemist and Biologist 1 angstrom = 0.1 nm
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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, Elements of Life
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Important compounds, functional groups
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Many Important Biomolecules are Polymers monomer polymer supramolecular structure lipidsproteinscarbonucleic acids
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Lipids monomer polymer supramolecular structure
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Proteins monomer polymer supramolecular structure
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Carbohydrates monomer polymer supramolecular structure
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monomer polymer supramolecular structure Nucleic Acids
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Prokaryote Cell
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Eukaryote Cell
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Cellular Organization of an E. coli Cell
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