COURSE OUTLINES
BIO 111: BIOMOLECULES AND CELLS
Pre-requites: N/A
Rationale
Students intending to pursue careers in the life sciences need a foundational course in biology
to put them on a sound footing. As such this course is essential in that it will expose students
in the life science career paths to concepts of structure, function and metabolism of biological
molecules including water, functional groups, carbohydrates, lipids and protein structure. The
structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells will be covered. Students targeted
by this course are those who intend to pursue careers in medicine, agriculture, teaching or
engineering.
Course objectives
After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:
1. Describe the structure and functions of biological molecules.
2. Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
3. Distinguish between animal and plant cells.
4. Describe the cell cycle during cell division.
5. Interpret the cell ultra structure from an electron micrograph.
Course Content
Chemical bonds and Functional groups: definition and structure; functions of functional
groups in Biomolecules; Different bonds (covalent, hydrogen, hydrophobic and hydrophilic,
ionic and van der Waals); Functional groups in biological molecules (hydroxyl group,
methyl, amino, amide, carbonyl, carboxyl, carboxylate).
Water: Structure of water, dipole nature, bond angle; properties that make water an
important molecule for life, universal solvent properties. adhesive and cohesive properties,
high heat capacity, high heat of vaporization, role of transparency in aquatic plant
photosynthesis.
Carbohydrates: Functions in living organisms; classes of carbohydrates; monosaccharides
(examples and structure); disaccharides (examples, structure, synthesis and hydrolysis of the
glycosidic bond); oligosaccharides (examples and structure), polysaccharide (starch,
glycogen and cellulose), structure of polysaccharides, amylose versus amylopectin).
Lipids: Functions of lipids (energy source and storage, cell membrane structure), structures
of glycerol and fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated); formation of the ester bond in the
synthesis of mono-, di- and triglycerides; waxes, sterols and steroids.
Proteins: Functions of proteins; structure and types of amino acids; synthesis and hydrolysis
of the peptide bond; levels of protein structure (primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary);
roles of ionic, hydrogen, hydrophobic bonds and disulfide bridges in the structure of proteins.
Enzymes: Nomenclature; functions; induced fit and lock-and-key hypothesis in enzyme
specificity; enzymes and energy of activation; factors that affect enzyme catalyzed reactions
(pH, temperature; substrate and enzyme concentration, inhibitors, cofactors); commercial
uses of enzymes.
Nucleic acids: Structures and functions of RNA (tRNA, mRNA and rRNA) and DNA;
formation of the hydrogen, phosphodiester and N-glycosidic bonds in the synthesis of nucleic
acids.
Cells: The cell theory; prokaryotic (bacteria) versus eukaryotic cell ultra structure and
function; plant versus animal cell, fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, functions of the
cell membrane.
Method of Teaching:
Lectures
Three hours per week
Tutorials
One hour of tutorials per week
Laboratory sessions Three hours per week
Suggested Practical Work:
1. Quantitative and biochemical tests for starch, reducing sugars, glycogen and non reducing
sugars, lipids and protein
2. Effect of pH, temperature and enzyme and substrate concentration on enzyme activity.
3. Ascending paper chromatography of amino acids and identification and separation of
naturally occurring free amino acids in juice.
4. Introduction to microscopy.
5. Identification of cellular structures from electron micrographs.
6. Microscopic study of representative bacterial, plant and animal cells.
ASSESSMENT
Continuous Assessment
Theory Quiz
2 test
Laboratory experiments
40%
5%
20%
15%
Final Examination60%
Prescribed readings
Elliot, W. H. and Elliot, D. C. (2004). Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 3rd Edition.
Oxford.
Kent, M. (2000). Advanced Biology. London: Oxford University Press.
Taylor, D. J. et al. (1997). Biological Science. London: Cambridge University Press.
Recommended readings
Campbell, N. A. et al. (2008). Biology. 8thEdition. San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin
Cumming.
Kimbali, J. W. (1994). Biology. 6th Edition. Wm.C Brown Publishers.
Phillips, W. D. and Chilton, T. J. (1994). A –level Biology. New York: Oxford University
Press. Roberts, M. et al. (2000). Advanced Biology. London: Nelson,