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 of fatty acids and 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: David L Nelson Michael M Cox, I principi di biochimica di Lehninger. Ottava edizione italiana a cura di Edon Melloni 2022 – There are also various summarized and therefore not very complete versions «introduzione alla biochimica di Lehninger» same authors Others: Jeremy M Berg John L Tymoczko Gregory J. Gatto Lubert Stryer, Biochimica. Ottava edizione italiana condotta sulla nona edizione americana 2020 AAVV Biochimica. Edi ERMES La Biochimica di Thomas M. Devlin di D' Andrea - Altieri - Baldanzi - Borriello - Devlin - AAVV 2023 - MEDICO Integrate with: B Alberts, A Johnson, J Lewis, D Morgan, M Raff, K Roberts, P 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 pathology. The lessons provide the student with an overview of principal metabolic pathways and 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 integrate the material provided by the teacher (pdf copy of the slides shown in class and any handouts that delve deeper into the topics covered during the course). The in-depth material and all information regarding the course and exam methods will be made available on the DIR (https://www.dir.uniupo.it/).

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services- students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The exam is carried out after the written exam of structural biochemistry and the laboratory module frequency. The exam is oral (on the blackboard or with a sheet of paper for formulas and diagrams) to allow teacher to evaluate the knowledge possessed, the ability to use even formal language and the ability to contextualise. The exam begins with a discussion of one of the metabolic cycles/pathways described in class (from 0 to 18 points depending on the ability to convey the notions possessed with appropriate formalisms), followed by a discussion on the regulation/hormonal control/integration of the metabolism (from 0 to 18 points based on the ability to contextualise the knowledge possessed and apply it in practical contexts).

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 oxidation-reduction reactions Glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and the pentose phosphate pathway: 1) Glycolysis, glycolysis feeding pathways, the fate of pyruvate in anaerobic conditions: fermentation. 2) Gluconeogenesis. 3) The oxidation of glucose via the pentose phosphate pathway. 3) Coordinated regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. Glycogen metabolism in animals, coordinated regulation of glycogen synthesis and breakdown. Blood sugar maintenance. 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 glyoxylate cycle in vegetables. Oxidative phosphorylation: 1) The flow of electrons in the mitochondria. 2) The synthesis of ATP. 3) Regulation of oxidative phosphorylation. 4) Mitochondria in thermogenesis, steroid synthesis and apoptosis. Fatty acid catabolism: Digestion, mobilization and transport of fatty acids. Oxidation of fatty acids, unsaturated and odd number C fatty acids. Ketone bodies. Lipid biosynthesis: Biosynthesis of fatty acids. Biosynthesis of triacylglycerols. Biosynthesis of membrane phospholipids. Cholesterol, steroids and isoprenoids: biosynthesis, regulation and transport. Oxidation of amino acids and production of urea: Metabolic fate of amino groups. Nitrogen excretion and urea cycle. Amino acid degradation pathways. Organication of nitrogen and biosynthesis of amino acids, nucleotides and related molecules. Particular attention to heme metabolism and iron transport 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 to photophosphorylation. C3 and C4 plants. Carbohydrate biosynthesis in plants and bacteria Principles of metabolic regulation: 1) Regulation of metabolic pathways. Analysis of metabolic control. 2) Hormonal regulation and integration of metabolism in mammals. 3) Hormonal mechanisms of appetite and body mass control.

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.