Biochemistry

biology
biotechnology

obligatory courses

In order to achieve the assumed teaching effects, knowledge in the field of exact and natural sciences at the level resulting from the completion of a comprehensive (general) high school is helpful, in particular in the field of various branches of chemistry, including the ability to record chemical reactions and use chemical formulas.

Classroom

Students will be provided with knowledge in the field of modern biochemistry by presenting the chemical composition and basic metabolic processes occurring in living cells, with particular emphasis on humans and plants. Students will also be familiarized with the basic experimental methods used in biochemistry: e.g. methods of extraction of biologically important substances from biological material, spectrophotometry, electrophoresis, various chromatographic techniques and methods of testing the properties of enzymes.

LECTURES

In the introductory part (the first 3 lectures of the series), selected topics from organic and general chemistry as well as enzymology and transport across membranes will be briefly presented for a more detailed understanding of the biochemical pathways discussed later (e.g. functional groups, chemical nomenclature, notation of chemical reactions, kinetics and statics of the reaction, thermodynamics of the reaction, catalysis, structure, regulation and classification of enzymes, electron carriers, ATP, membrane transporters, isomers).

In the main part (the remaining 12 lectures of the series), the basic metabolism of cells (the energy and intermediate metabolisms) will be presented through a detailed discussion (by providing the name of the enzyme, the names and structural formulas of the reagents, the cell compartment and tissue in which the reaction takes place) of the most important anabolic processes related to the biosynthesis of sugars ( the Calvin cycle, gluconeogenesis and the formation of oligo- and polysaccharides), the formation of selected lipids (fatty acids, triacylglycerols and glycerophospholipids, ketone bodies and prenyl lipids) and the biosynthesis of important nitrogenous compounds, i.e. amino acids and nucleotides, as well as catabolic processes, such as among others glycolysis, Krebs cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, beta-oxidation of fatty acids and basic reactions involved in the catabolism of amino acids (transamination and oxidative deamination) and nucleotides. Also discussed will be the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy (light phase of photosynthesis with photophosphorylation) and the regeneration of electron carriers (respiratory chain and fermentation) and oxidative phosphorylation, as well as the integration of metabolism in humans.

LABORATORY

The main goal is to familiarize students with the widest possible spectrum of methods originating from the biochemical laboratory and currently used in almost every biological laboratory. During the classes, students gradually become familiar with more and more complicated biochemical techniques, starting from learning simple pipetting, through the determination of biological compounds with colorimetric methods, enzymatic methods and various types of chromatographic methods, and they also learn to isolate and characterize cellular structures, proteins and nucleic acids, and study the properties of enzymes. Most of the tasks during the classes are performed by students individually or in small teams. The demonstration exercise concerns only the use of technically advanced research instruments such as a high-performance liquid chromatograph, a gas-liquid chromatograph or a mass spectrometer. Students also learn the rules of safe work in a biochemical laboratory and work in a team. During the classes, students gain the ability to describe and interpret the results of the experiments and their critical analysis.

1.J.M. Berg, J.L. Tymoczko, L. Stryer „Biochemia”, PWN, Warszawa 2005 (wyd. III) or later eds

2. B.D. Hames, N.M. Hooper „Krótkie wykłady – biochemia”, PWN, Warszawa 2007 (wyd. II) or later eds

The laboratory is passed on the basis of attendance (attendance at minimum of 85% of the classes is required), written reports on individual exercises and the final written test. (To pass the colloquium, you must obtain at least 60% of the points available.)

The final exam, to which the student is admitted on the basis of a prior laboratory credit, is conducted in written form. The exam consists of test questions and open questions that require, for example, filling gaps in the given reactions or schemes.

The final grade is the derivative assesment of the lab grade and the exam grade.