Cellular Metabolism and Processes (Theory)

Cell cycle and its regulation; cell division: mitosis, meiosis and cytokinesis; cell differentiation: stem cells, their differentiation into different cell types and organization into specialized tissues; cell-ECM and cell-cell interactions; cell receptors and trans- membrane signaling; cell motility and migration; cell death: different modes of cell death and their regulation.

Proto-oncogenes, oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, transpositions- transposable genetic elements in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, role of transposons in genome; viral and cellular oncogenes; tumor suppressor genes; structure, function and mechanism of action; activation and suppression of tumor suppressor genes; oncogenes as transcriptional activators

Molecular mechanisms of membrane transport, nuclear transport, transport across mitochondria and chloroplasts; intracellular vesicular trafficking from endoplasmic reticulum through Golgi apparatus to lysosomes/cell exterior.

Bioenergetics-basic principles; equilibria and concept of free energy; coupled interconnecting reactions in metabolism; oxidation of carbon fuels; recurring motifs in metabolism; Introduction to GPCR, Inositol/DAG//PKC and Ca++ signaling pathways; glycolysis and gluconeogenesis; reciprocal regulations and non-carbohydrate sources of glucose; Citric acid cycle, entry to citric acid cycle, citric acid cycle as a source of biosynthetic precursors; Oxidative phosphorylation; importance of electron transfer in oxidative phosphorylation; F1-F0 ATP Synthase; shuttles across mitochondria; regulation of oxidative phosphorylation; Photosynthesis – chloroplasts and two photosystems; proton gradient across thylakoid membrane; Calvin cycle and pentose phosphate pathway; glycogen metabolism, reciprocal control of glycogen synthesis and breakdown, roles of epinephrine and glucagon and insulin in glycogen metabolism

Fatty acid metabolism; protein turnover and amino acid catabolism; nucleotide biosynthesis (De novo and Salvage pathways); biosynthesis of membrane lipids and sterols with specific emphasis on cholesterol metabolism and mevalonate pathway; elucidation of metabolic pathways; logic and integration of central metabolism; entry/ exit of various biomolecules from central pathways; principles of metabolic regulation; steps for regulation. Target of rapamycin (TOR) & Autophagy regulation in relation to C & N metabolism, starvation responses and insulin signaling.