The course aims at providing students with knowledge about the structure and function of biological molecules as well as on the main principles of biochemistry fundamental to the understanding of the metabolic processes, with particular reference to the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. This course will also provide the necessary tools for further investigations in the field of biochemistry of foods and food science.

1.Introduction to the course
2.Amino acids and proteins
2.1 Structural features of amino acids and their classification
2.2 Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins
2.3 Oxygen-binding proteins
3. Enzymes
3.1 Classification
3.2 Mechanism of action
3.3 Michaelis-Menten equation
3.4 Regulatory enzymes
4. Carbohydrates
4.1 Monosaccharides and disaccharides
4.2 Polysaccharides: starch, glycogen, cellulose
5. Nucleotides and nucleic acids: an outline
6. Lipids
6.1 Structural features and nomenclature of fatty acids
6.2 Structure of triacylglycerols and main features
6.3 Structural lipids in membranes: an outline
7. Bioenergetics and biochemical reaction types
7.1 Bioenergetics and thermodynamics
7.2 Common biochemical reactions
7.3 Phosphoryl group transfers and ATP
7.4 Biological oxidation-reduction reactions
8 Carbohydrate metabolism
8.1 Glycolysis
8.2 Gluconeogenesis
8.3 Penthose phosphate pathway
8.4 Glycogen metabolism
8.5 Principles of metabolic regulation
9 The citric acid cycle
9.1 Production of Acetil-CoA
9.2 Reactions of the citric acid cycle
9.3 The glyoxylate cycle
10 Fatty acid catabolism
11 Amino acid oxidation and the production of urea
12 Oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis
13 Photophosphorylation and carbohydrate biosynthesis in plants: an outline
14 Lipid biosynthesis
14.1 Biosynthesis of fatty acids
14.2 Biosynthesis of triacylglycerols
14.3 Biosynthesis of membrane phospholipids: an outline
14.4 Biosynthesis of cholesterol
15 Biosynthesis of amino acids
16 Biosynthesis and degradation of nucleotides
17. Tissue-specific metabolism: an overview

The student must know the structure of the most important macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleotides), their biological function and their metabolism.

The student must demonstrate an understanding of the concepts explained in the lectures and be able to provide examples and to make connections between the various metabolic pathways. Students  must demonstrate  the comprehension of the logic of  discipline

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Lectures

Attendance

Students must possess a basic knowledge of organic chemistry and biology

Course books

Nelson DL, Cox MM: I principi di Biochimica di Lehninger, 2014, Zanichelli, Bologna.
Garrett RH, Grisham CM: Biochimica, 2014, Piccin, Padova.
Nelson DL, Cox MM: Introduzione alla biochimica di Lehninger, 2011, Zanichelli, Bologna.
Tymoczko JL, Berg JN, Berg JM, Stryer L: Principi di biochimica, 2010, Zanichelli, Bologna.
Voet D, Voet JG, Pratt CW: Fondamenti di biochimica, 2013, Zanichelli, Bologna.

Assessment

Oral examination

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

The student can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative bibliography.