· understand the chemistry of biomolecules
· understand the bioenergetic principles underlying biochemical reactions.
· understand the structure, mechanism of action and inhibition of enzymes.
pH, pK, acids, bases, buffers, chemical bonds, Bioenergetics: Principles of thermodynamics: free energy, important energy, rich molecules, standard free energy change, concept of redox reactions. Principles of self assembly, Hierarchy of molecular organization of living systems.
Classification, Chemical Reactions and Physical Properties, purification and criteria for homogeneity, structural organization of proteins- primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure. Conformational analysis. Ramachandran plot.
Classification and reactions, types, structural features. Metabolism of carbohydrates, main sources of carbohydrates, enzymatic conversion and mobilization as glucoses or fructoses, glycolysis, Krebs cycle, terminal oxidation/ oxidative phosphorylation, mechanism of ATP synthesis, rate controlling steps and regulation.
Classification, Structure and functions. Metabolism of Lipid and fat bodies: Beta-oxidation and channeling of the products to ATP production: minor pathway of fatty acid oxidation, (alpha and omega oxidation), Biosynthesis of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, Ketone bodies, membrane lipids-cholesterol, phospholipid and glycolipid; biosynthesis of fat soluble vitamins; biosynthesis of Eicosonoids (prostaglandin, leucotriens and thromboxane).
Kinetics: Rate of reactions, specific activity, molecular activity, Km, Kcat, Michaelis- Menten and Line weaver Burk plot, enzyme inhibition, mechanism of enzyme catalysis (acid-base electrostatic, metal ion, free radicals, transition state binding and covalent catalysis, proximity and orientation effects, contribution of strain. Factors affecting enzyme activity, enzyme inhibition. Allosteric enzymes and bisubstrate reactions. Rationale for modification of enzyme function, Enzyme Engineering: modification of structure and catalytic properties of enzymes