The course describes the biomolecules that are part of the human organism, both from the structural point of view, and the metabolic transformations that take place within the cells. To this end, the reaction mechanisms carried out by enzymes, which are mainly proteins that function as biological catalysts, are detailed.

The second part of the course contains the description and analysis of the main metabolic pathways that occur in the organism to obtain the metabolic energy necessary for the synthesis of the macromolecules that keep the human organism alive. In order to reach this objective, it is necessary to ingest food, with different degrees of elaboration, which will generate the appropriate substrates so that these reactions can take place.

The third part explains how genetic information is transmitted so that the various proteins necessary for the maintenance of the metabolism and structures of living organisms can be expressed.

1.-To know the structures, properties and biochemical functions of biomolecules.

2.-To understand, correlate and be able to explain the general chemical processes that living beings carry out and that are governed by enzymes.

3.-To identify and understand the chemical processes to obtain metabolic energy by the cell and those that consume that energy in the synthesis of biomolecules themselves.

4.-To know the pathways of expression, repair and transmission of the genetic message.

5.-To perform chemical and/or biochemical analysis and to interpret the results.

TOPIC 1. PRESENTATION. Introduction to the biological molecules.



TOPIC 2. AMINO ACIDS. Chemical-biological characteristics of amino acids. Properties and classification of proteinogenic amino acids. Non-proteinogenic amino acids.

TOPIC 3.-PROTEINS. Concept, generalities and classification. Peptide bond. Primary structure.

TOPIC 4.-THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF PROTEINS. Secondary structure of proteins. Fibrous and globular proteins. Tertiary structure. Quaternary structure. Conjugated proteins. Protein denaturation.



TOPIC 5.-ENZYMES AS BIOLOGICAL CATALYSTS. Chemical nature of enzymes. Cofactors. Nomenclature and classification of enzymes. Mechanisms of enzymatic reactions: active center, binding and catalysis.

TOPIC 6. KINETICS OF ENZYMATIC REACTIONS. Michaelis-Menten equation. Meaning of the kinetic constants. Representations. Enzymatic activity: factors that modify it. Enzymatic inhibition.

TOPIC 7.- REGULATION OF ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY. Allosteric enzymes: concept and characteristics. Regulation of activity by covalent modification. Isoenzymes.



TOPIC 8.-CARBOHYDRATES. Structure. Classification and biological interest.

TOPIC 9.-NUCLEOTIDES. Structure and function.

TOPIC 10.-LIPIDS.- Structure. Classification and biological interest. Biological membranes.



TOPIC 11.-INTRODUCTION TO INTERMEDIARY METABOLISM. Concept of metabolic pathway. Irreversible reactions. Energy-rich compounds. Regulation of metabolism.



TOPIC 12.-BIOLOGICAL OXIDATIONS. Respiratory chain: location, components and control. Oxidative phosphorylation: Definition, mechanism and respiratory control.



TOPIC 13.-CYCLE OF TRICARBOXYLIC ACIDS. Sequence, balance and functions.

TOPIC 14.-GLUCOSE METABOLISM (1). Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Glycolysis: sequence and balance. Fates of pyruvate. Shuttle systems. Energy balance of glucose oxidation.

TOPIC 15.-GLUCOSE METABOLISM (2) Gluconeogenesis: Stages and balance from pyruvate.pentose phosphate pathway.

TOPIC 16.-REGULATION OF GLUCOSE METABOLISM. Coordinated regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.

TOPIC 17. GLYCOGEN METABOLISM. Glycogenolysis. Regulation of glycogen metabolism.



TOPIC 18.-DIGESTION AND TRANSPORT OF LIPIDS. Digestion and absorption of lipids. Structure of plasma lipoproteins. mobilization of triacylglycerides from adipose tissue.

TOPIC 19.-CATABOLISM OF FATTY ACIDS. Activation of fatty acids .β-oxidation of fatty acids. Ketone bodies: biosynthesis and utilization.

TOPIC 20. FATTY ACID BIOSYNTHESIS. Malonyl-CoA formation. Fatty acid synthase complex. Elongation and unsaturation of fatty acids.

TOPIC 21.- LIPID BIOSYNTHESIS. Biosynthesis of triacylglycerides and phospholipids. Biosynthesis of cholesterol and steroid derivatives.



TOPIC 22. PROTEIN CATABOLISM AND AMINO ACID METABOLISM. Digestion and intracellular degradation of proteins. Metabolism of the alpha-amino group of amino acids, fate of ammonium, urea cycle. Metabolism of the carbon chain of amino acids. Biosynthesis of nonessential amino acids.



TOPIC 23. NUCLEOTIDES METABOLISM. De novo biosynthesis and recovery pathways of purine nucleotides. Degradation of purine nucleotides. De novo biosynthesis and recovery pathways of pyrimidine nucleotides. Biosynthesis of deoxyribonucleotides.



TOPIC 24. INTEGRATION OF METABOLISM. Tissue-specific metabolism. Fasting-feeding cycle.



TOPIC 25.- DNA STRUCTURE. Primary structure. Secondary structure. Supercoiling. Nucleosomes. Genes and genome.

TOPIC 26.- DNA REPLICATION. Properties. DNA polymerases. Stages of replication.

TOPIC 27.-DNA MUTATION AND REPAIR. Causes of mutations and repair systems.

TOPIC 28.- DNA TRANSCRIPTION. RNA structure. Properties. RNA polymerases. Stages of transcription. RNA maturation.

TOPIC 29. PROTEIN BIOSYNTHESIS. Properties. Genetic code. Amino acid activation. Stages of protein biosynthesis. maturation of proteins.

TOPIC 30.- REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION. Bacteria. Eukaryotes.

METHODOLOGY OF TEACHING MODALITIES:

- LECTURES:

They will be held in classrooms with blackboard, computer and projector (65 hours).

- LABORATORY PRACTICES:

They will be carried out in practice laboratories (4 sessions of 5 hours each).

- CLASSROOM PRACTICES:

They are carried out in classrooms with blackboard, computer and projector (2 sessions of 2.5 hours each).

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 15
  • Multiple-Choice Test (%): 50
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 20
  • Individual works (%): 10
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 5

The final exam consists of a theoretical and a practical part. The theoretical part will account for 65% of the final grade of the course, there will be a test section (50%) and questions to be developed (15%). The practical part will account for 20% of the final grade. To pass the course it is necessary to pass both parts separately. The remaining 15% of the grade is obtained through continuous assessment, through questions and exercises that the teacher will pose in class or on the eGela platform during the course and two individual tests. The realization of laboratory practices is mandatory. During the development of the practices, the attitude and skills in the laboratory work will be graded, as well as the students' capacity of expression and teamwork.



In any case, students will have the right to be evaluated through the final evaluation system, regardless of whether or not they have participated in the continuous evaluation system. To do so, students must submit in writing to the teacher responsible for the subject the waiver of continuous assessment, for which they will have a period of 9 weeks from the beginning of the course.



Both in the case of continuous assessment and in the case of final assessment, failure to attend the test set on the official exam date will mean the automatic waiver of the call, and will result in the qualification of not presented.

The same conditions as in the ordinary exam.



However, students who pass any of the parts in the ordinary exam will not have to repeat it in the extraordinary exam, i.e., they will only have to take the exam of the failed part.

eGEla will be essential for the proper development of the lesson.

Basic bibliography

1.-"Lehninger. Principles of Biochemistry", D.L. Nelson and M.M. Cox, 8th Edition. 2021.

2.- "Fundamentals of biochemistry: Life at the molecular level", D. Voet, J.G. Voet and C.W. Pratt, 5th edition. 2016

3.- "Biochemistry. Basic course.", J.L.Tymoczko , L. Stryer, J.M. Berg and, 2nd edition. 2014.

4.- "Human Molecular Genetics 3", T. Strachan & A. P. Read. 2018

In-depth bibliography

1.- "The Initiation of DNA Replication in Eukaryotes". D.L. Kaplan, 2016
2.- "The Regulation of DNA Replication and Transcription" M. Beljanski, 2013
3.- "Metabolic Regulation: A human prespective" K. N. Frayn, 3rd edition, 2019

Web addresses

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072507470/student_view0/index.html
https://www.rcsb.org/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/
https://www.sebbm.es/web/en/


http://www.ehu.es/biomoleculas
http://www.biorom.uma.es/