Biological chemistry II

Lecturers 

Giovanni D'Angelo  and Bruno Emanuel Correia 

Language 

English

Summary 

Biochemistry is a key discipline in the Life Sciences. Biological Chemistry I and II are two tightly interconnected courses that aims to understand in molecular terms the processes that make life possible. 

Content 

In Biological Chemistry II we will focus on cell metabolism to understand how the molecules that constitute living beings are produced, modified and used for energetic purposes. A specific emphasis will be put on the understanding of organizing principles in metabolism and on the regulatory circuits living beings have evolved to control their metabolic outputs. 

Bioenergetics and cell metabolism (I) 

[Glycolysis-TCA cycle-PPP-oxidative phosphorylation-B oxidation-AA oxydation]

Bioenergetics and cell metabolism (II) 

[Energy storage TAG synthesis and gluconeogenesis]  

Bioenergetics and cell metabolism (III) 

[Energy and nutrient sensing cell growth/ autophagy] 

Bioenergetics and cell metabolism (IV) 

[Cellular metabolic specialization, liver muscle and adipose tissue metabolism]

Enzymology (I)

[Enzymes regulation by PTMs]

Enzymology (II)

[Methods to study enzymatic regulation/ proteomics]

Enzymology (III)

[Engineering enzymes] 

Building a Cell (I)

[Carbohydrate biosynthesis, AA, and NA biosynthesis]

Building a Cell (II) 

[Lipid biosynthesis]

Building a Cell (III) 

[Compartmentalization]

Metabolic circuits (I) 

[Feedback mechanisms and metabolic network motifs]

Metabolic circuits (II) 

[Metabolic Teleonomy and Metabolic Biases]

Keywords 

Energy Metabolism, Enzymology, Biosynthetic Pathways, Metabolic Circuits

Learning Prerequisites 

Required courses 

Biological Chemistry I

Recommended courses 

Biology I + II, Organic Chemistry I + II

Important concepts to start the course 

Basic understanding of chemical composition of biological matter

Basic understanding of cell organization

Basic understanding of protein structure and function

Basic reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry

Learning Outcomes 

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

Recognize biochemical pathways

Integrate cell compartmentalisation and metabolism

Interpret the topology of metabolic circuits

Transversal skills 

Assess one's own level of skill acquisition, and plan their on-going learning goals.

Continue to work through difficulties or initial failure to find optimal solutions.

Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking

Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.

Teaching methods 

Lectures

Exercise session accompanying each lecture

Exercise session on bioinformatics and protein structure visualization tools

Expected student activities 

Attendance to classes

Attendance to exercises

Class participation

Assessment methods 

• written exam - the exam will be an "open book" exam and what this means is that you are allowed to bring all the materials provided during the semester (slides, exercises, solutions), but not the recommended books (The Molecules of Life – Principles of Biochemistry).