M1

• Definitions of Biochemistry

  • Chemistry of life
  • Science concerned with the chemical basis of life 
  • Focuses on processes happening at a molecular level to understand how the structure of a molecule relates to its function and to predict how molecules will interact
  • Biochemistry is the study of chemical reactions in living tissue
  • The study of the structure, composition, and chemical reactions of substances in living systems
• Cell Biology

  · Structural chemistry of the components of living matter and the relationship of biological function to chemical structure
• Molecular Biology

  · Metabolism, the totality of chemical reactions that occur in living matter
• Molecular Genetics

  · The chemistry of process and substances that store and transmit biological information (Molecular genetics)
• Importance of Biochemistry

  · To understand life in molecular terms

  · It seeks to describe the structure, organization, and functions of living matter in molecular terms

  · Essential to all life sciences

  · Basis for health and diseases

  · Applied to medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine
• In Pharmacology, Physiology, Microbiology and Clinical Chemistry

  · Investigate the mechanism of a drug action

  · Engage in viral research

  · Conduct research pertaining to organ function

  · Use chemical concepts, procedures, and techniques to study the diagnosis and therapy of disease and the assessment of health
• In Food Science - Nutrition

  · Biochemists research ways to develop abundant and inexpensive sources of nutritious foods

  · Determine the chemical composition of foods

  · Develop methods to extract nutrients from waste products

  · Invent ways to prolong the shelf life of food products
• In Agriculture

  · Biochemists study the interaction of herbicides with plants

  · Examine the structure-activity relationships of compounds

  · Determine their ability to inhibit growth 

  · Evaluate the toxicological effects on surrounding life
• In Toxicology

  · Deals with toxic metabolites in the body

  · Rogene Henderson, senior scientist and supervisor of the Biochemical Toxicology Group at Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute

  · Does research to understand ways in which organic compounds in the body are changed by enzymes into toxic metabolites
• Physical Agents


  • Mechanical trauma
  • Extremes of temperature
  • Sudden changes in atmospheric pressure
  • Radiation
  • Electric shock
• Chemical Agents


  • Certain toxic compounds
  • Therapeutic drugs
• Biologic Agents


  • Viruses
  • Bacteria
  • Fungi
  • Higher forms of parasites
• Causes of Oxygen Lack

  • Loss of blood supply
  • Depletion of the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood
  • Poisoning of the oxidative enzymes
• Genetic Disorders


  • Congenital
  • Molecular
• Immunologic Reactions


  • Anaphylaxis
  • Autoimmune disease
• Nutritional Imbalances


  • Deficiencies
  • Excesses
• Endocrine Imbalances


  • Hormonal deficiencies
  • Hormonal excesses
• Water

  · Most abundant molecule in cells, accounting for 70% or more of total cell mass

  · The interactions between water and the other constituents of cells are of central importance in biological chemistry

  · Water is a polar molecule with the hydrogen atoms having a slight positive charge and the oxygen with a slight negative charge
• Polar molecule


  A molecule with an unequal distribution of charge, resulting in a partial positive and partial negative charge
• Oxygen


  • Slight negative charge
• Hydrogen


  • Slight positive charge
• Di-pole


  A molecule with a separation of charge, resulting in a partial positive and partial negative end
• An oxygen atom has a much stronger attraction for electrons than a hydrogen atom with its single proton
• Molecular Interactions


  • Hydrogen bonding
  • Dipole-Dipole interaction
• Hydrogen Bonding


  The force of attraction between a hydrogen molecule with a partial positive charge and another atom or molecule with a partial or full negative charge
• Hydrogen Bonds


  Not as strong as covalent or ionic bonds, and they can form in other compounds besides water
• Water is able to form multiple hydrogen bonds that accounts for many of its special properties
• Cohesion

  · Holds water together
• Adhesion

  · Holds water molecules to other polar substances
• Surface Tension

  · Caused by cohesion of water to itself and lack of adhesion to air
• Heat Capacity (Heat Storage)

  · Water has an extremely high specific heat (amount of energy needed to raise the temperature)

  · Energy is stored in hydrogen bonds and molecular motion

  · Water moderates temperature
• · Heat is the total kinetic energy stored in an object (related to mass)
• · Temperature is the average kinetic energy (mass doesn’t matter)
• Water


  Universal solvent, dissolves a huge range of compounds due to its molecular interactions
• Solution

  Evenly distributed mixture of 2 or more substances
• Solvent


  Dissolving substance (usually water)
• Solute

  Dissolved substance
• Hydrophobic substances


  Do not form Hydrogen bonds with water (oils, membranes, some proteins, etc.)
• Hydrophobic substances


  • Heterogeneous
• Hydrophilic substances


  Form Hydrogen bonds with water (ions, sugars, cellulose, some proteins)