Lecture 1

SBT 1231–principle Biochemistry Instructor: Br. OSAMA YOUSEF

E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 016-3404688

How To learn Biochemistry???? • Attend to class • Review lecture notes. • Read book chapters.

Principles of Biochemistry 3rd Edition Horton, Moran, Ochs, Rawn, Scrimgeour.

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

How does biochemistry impact our life? • Medicine: production of many analogues which are used as drugs such as 6-mercaptopurine • Agriculture: identification compounds and chemical principles affecting plant and animal growth. (fertilizers) • Industrial applications: food product • Environmental : Biodegradation

Medical applications of biochemistry • 6-Mercaptopurine is an analog of hypoxanthine, an intermediate in nucleotide biosynthesis. When mercaptopurine is made into a nucleotide , it stops DNA replication from occurring because it is incorporated into DNA instead of the proper nucleotide. • 6-Mercaptopurine is an anticancer medication. It inhibits the uncontrolled DNA replication associated with proliferation of white blood cells in leukemia.

Principle Areas of Biochemistry • Structure and function of biological molecules • Metabolism – energy production and utilization (anabolic and catabolic processes). • Molecular Genetics – How life is replicated. Regulation of protein synthesis

Before biochemistry Vitalism: idea that substances and processes associated with living organisms did not behave according to the known laws of physics and chemistry Evidence: 4) Only living things have a high degree of complexity 5) Only living things can transform and utilize energy from their environment 6) Only living things are capable of self assembly and self replication

Origins of Biochemistry: A challenge to “Vitalism.”

Famous Biochemist!

Vitalism : Biochemicals can only be produced by living organisms

•1828 Friedrich Wohler

Vitalism : Complex bioconversion of chemical substances require living matter

•1897 Eduard Buchner

Glucose + Yeast extract = Alcohol

Vitalism : Complex bioconversion of chemical substances require living matter

• Emil Fischer

Vitalism : Complex bioconversion of chemical substances require living matter 1926 J.B. Sumner Isolation and crystallization of the enzyme urease

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

Organization of Life

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, F, Ni.

Important compounds, functional groups

Many Important Biomolecules are Polymers

monomer

lipids

proteins

f a t t y a c id

a m i n o a c id

g lu c o s e

n u c le o tid e

p r o t e in s u b u n it

c e llu lo s e

DNA

p r o t e in c o m p le x

c e ll w a ll

c h ro m o s o m e

polymer p h o s p h o l i p i d supramolecular m e m b ra n e structure

carbo nucleic acids

Proteins

amino acid protein subunit Enzyme complex

Carbohydrates

monomer g lu c o s e polymer c e llu lo s e supramolecular structure c e ll w a ll

Nucleic Acids monomer polymer

n u c le o ti d e DNA

supramolecular c h r o m a t in structure

Nucleic Acids

Lipids

monomer

f a t t y a c id

polymer

p h o s p h o lip id

supramolecular m e m b r a n e structure

Common theme: Monomers form polymers through condensations (dehydration) Polymers are broken down through hydrolysis.

 

Prokaryote Cell

Eukaryote Cell