Ateneo - UPO

Introduction
• Metabolism and bioenergy
• Vitamins and coenzymes
• Insulin and glucagon

Functional Biochemistry
1. Carbohydrate digestion with aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis.
2. Pyruvate dehydrogenase and tricarboxylic acid cycle.
3. Oxidative phosphorylation and ROS.
4. Pentose phosphates cycle + gluconeogenesis.
5. Glycogen metabolism.
6. Control of glucose and glucose catabolism.
7. Glycogen synthesis and glycemia.
8. Lipids: digestion, transposed and lipoproteins, fatty acid catabolism.
9. Catabolism odd C fatty acids, peroxisome ketone bodies and unsaturated fatty acids.
10. Fatty acid and phospholipid biosynthesis with sphingolipid hints.
11. Cholesterol: synthesis and catabolism to biliary acids.
12. Steroid hormones, production and physiological roles.
13. Photosynthesis and Calvin cycle.
14. Organizing nitrogen and amino acid biosynthesis, essential amino acids.
15. Protein digestion, blood transport (alanine, glutamine), amino acid degradation by example (tyrosine), urea cycle.
16. Amino acid derivatives: bioactive amines, NO, eme.
17. Anabolism of nucleotides and deoxynucleotides with regulation
18. Catabolism nucleotides and uric acid.
19. Integration of metabolism: nutrition / fasting cycle.
20 Appetite and body mass control.

Reccomanded:
-Jeremy M Berg John L Tymoczko Lubert Stryer. Biochimica. Zanichelli 2012
- David L Nelson Michael M Cox. Principi di biochimica di Lehninger. Zanichelli 2018
- Donald Voet Judith G Voet Charlotte W Pratt. Fondamenti di biochimica. Zanichelli 2017

In addition:
Bruce Alberts , Alexander Johnson , Julian Lewis , David Morgan , Martin Raff , Keith Roberts , Peter Walter. Biologia molecolare della cellula. Zanichelli 2016

The basic objective of the course is to acquire a knowledge of metabolism at a sufficient level to describe the processes of digestion, absorption, transport, storage, catabolism, interconversion, excretion, biosynthesis of: carbohydrates, amino acids and proteins, lipids, nucleotides, heme group.
A further objective is the ability to relate these processes to the different functional states of the organism together with the hormonal regulation mechanisms of the main biochemical processes.
The advanced objective is the integration of these concepts at the molecular level with what was previously learned at the cellular, histological and anatomical level to provide a solid foundation for understanding physiology and patology.
The lessons provide the student with an overview of modern biochemical techniques and their applications with particular regard to the study of proteins. At the same time, the this module aims to provide the student with the tools for a critical reading of literature.

In order to understand the contents of the course and to be able to express what has been learned with an appropriate language, it is required to pass the exams of:
- general chemistry, with particular attention to the properties of the elements and chemical compounds.
- organic chemistry with particular attention to the properties of the functional groups and to the structure of the main biological compounds.

It is suggested to overcome:
- physics with particular attention to thermodynamics.

This module includes lectures with slide projection + interactive multimedia material (generally on DIR) + some scientific articles.
To prepare for the exam, students must use the textbooks and recommended readings to supplement the material provided by the teacher (pdf copy of the slides projected in class and any handouts that explore the topics covered during the course).

Course program and slides, as well as supplemenrts are available on DIR (https://www.dir.uniupo.it/ ).

The exam is carried out after the structural biochemistry written and the attendance of the laboratory module.
The exam is oral (on the blackboard or with a sheet for formulas and diagrams) to allow the evaluation of the knowledge possessed, the property of language, even formal, and the ability to contextualize.
The exam begins with a discussion of one of the metabolic cycles / pathways described in class, followed by a discussion of hormonal regulation / control / metabolism integration.
At the same time, the laboratory notebook and the techniques described in class are discussed.

Review of bioenergetics and types of biochemical reactions:
1) bioenergetics and thermodynamics
2) chemical logic and most common biochemical reactions
3) transfers of phosphoric groups and ATP
4) biological redox reactions

Glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and the pentose phosphate pathway:
1) Glycolysis, ways of feeding glycolysis, the fate of pyruvate in anaerobic conditions: fermentation.
2) Gluconeogenesis.
3) The oxidation of glucose through the pentose phosphate pathway.
3) Coordinated regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.

The metabolism of glycogen in animals, coordinated regulation of the synthesis and demolition of glycogen. Maintenance of blood sugar.

The citric acid cycle:
1) Production of acetyl-CoA (activated acetate).
2) Reactions of the citric acid cycle.
3) Regulation of the citric acid cycle.
4) The cycle of glyoxylate in plants.

Oxidative phosphorylation:
1) The flow of electrons in the mitochondria.
2) The synthesis of the ATP.
3) Regulation of oxidative phosphorylation.
4) Mitochondria in thermogenesis, steroid synthesis and apoptosis.

Catabolism of fatty acids: Digestion, mobilization and transport of fatty acids. Oxidation of fatty acids. The ketone bodies.

Biosynthesis of lipids: Biosynthesis of fatty acids. Biosynthesis of triacylglycerols. Biosynthesis of membrane phospholipids. Cholesterol, steroids and isoprenoids: biosynthesis, regulation and transport.

Oxidation of amino acids and urea production: Metabolic fate of amino groups. Nitrogen excretion and urea cycle. Pathways of degradation of amino acids.

Nitrogen organication and biosynthesis of amino acids, nucleotides and related molecules.

Photosynthesis and the capture of light energy: the absorption of light and photophosphorylation, The central photochemical event: the flow of electrons induced by light. ATP synthesis coupled with photophosphorylation. Plants C3 and C4. Biosynthesis of carbohydrates in plants and bacteria

Principles of metabolic regulation:
1) Regulation of metabolic pathways. Metabolic control analysis.
2) Hormonal regulation and integration of metabolism in mammals.
3) Hormonal mechanisms for controlling appetite and body mass.

To be able to:
- describe the main metabolic pathways.
- understand and use correctly the language and formulation typical of biochemistry
- have a basic knowledge of hormonal and metabolic regulation systems
- integrate / contextualize the phenomena at the molecular level with the other levels of organization of the living (cellular / histological / anatomical)
- understand the main biochemical techniques at a sufficient level for reading scientific articles.