BCH 400/600 –
Introductory Biochemistry
Instructor: David Shintani
Office: 311C Fleischmann Ag.
Lab: 308 Fleischmann Ag.
E-mail: shintani@unr.edu
Phone: (775) 784-4631
Before BCH 400
BCH 400 is
heavy on
content!!!
After BCH 400
Come to class!!!!!!
Try not to fall behind!!
• Review lecture notes.
http://www.ag.unr.edu/shintani/bch400-600/index.html
• Read book chapters.
Principles of
Biochemistry
4th Edition
Principles of
Biochemistry
3rd Edition
Use tools to memorize
Histidine?
Study in groups
Participate in the clicker
system!!!
20 extra credit points!!
Feel Free
to see me!
My
office me
hours
Or e-mail
for
are
Tuedays
from
a private
audience
2:00 to 3:00 PM
What is Biochemistry?
• Biochemistry = chemistry of life.
• Biochemists use physical and
chemical principles to explain
biology at the molecular level.
• Basic principles of biochemistry are
common to all living organism
How does biochemistry
impact you?
• Medicine
• Agriculture
• Industrial applications
• Environmental applications
Principle Areas of
Biochemistry
• Structure and function of biological
macromolecules
• Metabolism – anabolic and catabolic
processes.
• Molecular Genetics – How life is
replicated. Regulation of protein
synthesis
Life Before Biochemistry
Once upon a time, a long long time ago…..
Vitalism: idea that substances and processes
associated with living organisms did not
behave according to the known laws of
physics and chemistry
Evidence:
1) Only living things have a high degree of
complexity
2) Only living things extract, transform and
utilize energy from their environment
3) Only living things are capable of self
assembly and self replication
Origins of Biochemistry:
A challenge to “Vitalism.”
Famous Dead Biochemist!
Fallacy #1: Biochemicals can only be
produced by living organisms
•Dead Biochemist #1
•1828 Friedrich Wohler
Fallacy #2: Complex bioconversion of
chemical substances require living
matter
Dead Biochemists #2
•1897 Eduard Buchner
Glucose + Dead Yeast = Alcohol
Fallacy #2: Complex
bioconversion of chemical
substances require living matter
Dead Biochemists #3
• Emil Fischer
Fallacy #2: Complex
bioconversion of chemical
substances require living matter
Dead Biochemists #4
1926 J.B. Sumner
Findings of other famous dead biochemist
• 1944 Avery, MacLeod and McCarty identified
DNA as information molecules
• 1953 Watson (still alive) and Crick proposed the
structure of DNA
• 1958 Crick proposed the central dogma of
biology
Organization of Life
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
elements
simple organic compounds (monomers)
macromolecules (polymers)
supramolecular structures
organelles
cells
tissues
organisms
Range of the
sizes of objects
studies by
Biochemist and
Biologist
1 angstrom = 0.1 nm
Elements of Life
Most abundant, essential for all organisms: C, N, O, P, S, H
Less abundant, essential for all organisms : Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cl
Trace levels, essential for all organism: Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn
Trace levels, essential for some organisms: V, Cr, Mo, B, Al, Ga, Sn, Si,
As, Se, I,
Important compounds, functional groups
Many Important Biomolecules are Polymers
monomer
lipids
proteins
carbo
nucleic acids
fatty acid
amino acid
glucose
nucleotide
protein subunit
cellulose
DNA
protein complex
cell wall
chromosome
polymer phospholipid
supramolecular
structure
membrane
Lipids
monomer
fatty acid
polymer phospholipid
supramolecular
structure
membrane
Proteins
monomer
amino acid
polymer protein subunit
supramolecular
structure Enzyme complex
Carbohydrates
monomer glucose
polymer cellulose
supramolecular
structure cell wall
Nucleic Acids
monomer
nucleotide
polymer
DNA
supramolecular
structure
chromatin
Common theme:
Monomers form
polymers through
condensations
Polymers are broken
down through
hydrolysis.
Prokaryote Cell
Cellular Organization
of an E. coli Cell
200 – 300 mg protein / mL cytoplasm
Eukaryote Cell