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Lecture Schedule

1. Cells - Structure and Function
   
   Organization of the cell, Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes, Biomelecules, major Organelles.
   
   Section I - At the end of this section, the student should be able to understand:
   
   1. Major types of cells.
   2. Some common types of biomolecules and their functions.
   3. Processes involved in cell division.
   4. The structures and functions of the nucleus, mitochondria, cytoplasm, cytoplasmic reticulum, etc.
   
   
2. The Nature of Water 
   
   Polar and non-polar substances, Hydrogen bonds, strong and weak acids and bases, Buffer solutions.
   
   Section II - At the end of this section, the student should be able to understand:
   
   1. Polarity and importance of hydrogen bonds in the structure and function of biomolecules.
   2. Typical biological fluids and buffers.
   
   
3. Carbohydrates 
   
   Classification, Stereoisomerism, Mutarotation, Digestion and metabolism 
   of carbohydrates.
   
   Section III - At the end of this section, the student should be able to
   understand:
   
   1. Major types of sugars and their structures.
   2. Chemical tests for carbohydrates.
   3. Aerobic and anaerobic utilization of glucose, and production of energy.
   4 Major biochemical pathways involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates.
   5. Diseases related to errors in carbohydrate metabolism.
   
   
4. Proteins
   
   Structures and sources of common amino acids, Zwitterion, the peptide bond. The amino acid sequence, structures, properties and functions of proteins, Digestion and metabolism of proteins.
   
   Section IV - At the end of this section, the student should be able to understand:
   
   1. What are "essential" amino acids.
   2. Methods to determine the amino acid sequence.
   3. Structures of denaturation proteins, electrophoresis.
   4. Protein metabolism.
   
   
5. Enzymes
   
   Biochemical catalysis. Classification. Properties. Mechanism of enzyme action. Cofactors and vitamins.
   
   Section V - At the end of this section, the student should be able to understand:
   
   1. Heat and pH dependence of proteins. Denaturation and renaturation. 
   2. Enzymatic specificity. Active sites. "Lock and Key" model and "induced fit" model.
   3. Michaelis-Menten constant.
   4. Allosteric enzymes.
   5. Important coenzymes, vitamins and minerals. Hypo - and hyper-vitaminosis. 
   
   
6. Lipids 
   
   Classification. Fatty acids. Triglycerides, waxes, steroids, glyco-,phospho-,
   and sphingo, lipids. Llipid metabolism.
   
   Section VI - At the end of this section, the student should be able to understand:
   
   1. Structures of common fatty acids, saturation and unsaturation. 
   2. Fatty acid synthesis in cytoplasm and mitochondria.
   3. Beta-oxidation.
   4. Interrelationships between carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
   
   
7. Nucleic Acids 
   
   Purines and Pyrimidines, Nucleosides and Nucleotides, structure and function of DNA.
   
   Section VII - At the end of this section, the student should be able understand:
   
   1. Role of base pairs and hydrogen bonding in the structure of DNA, the nature of genes and DNA replication.
   
   
8. Transcription and its Control
   
   Transcription, messenger RNA, transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA.
   
   Section VIII - At the end of this section, the student should be able to understand:
   
   1. The nature of codons, types of condons. 
   2. Anticodons and the composition of ribosomal RNA.
   3. The role of codons, anticodons and RNA in peptide synthesis.
   
   
9. Translation of Genetic Information 
   
   Translation. The Human Genome Project.
   
   Section IX - At the end of the section, the student should be able to understand:
   
   1. Repair mechanisms of DNA, Mutations, Genetic Diseases and current research towards their cures.
   

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Laboratory Schedule

1. To have the students become familiar with biochemical methods or techniques.
   
   
2. To use the following biochemical methods:
   
   a. extraction
   b. dialysis
   c. freeze-drying
   d. gas chromatography
   e. paper chromatography
   f. electrophoresis
   
    
3. To perform experiments which are biochemically related:
   
   a. pH
   b. enzymes
   
   
4. To obtain data for the above methods/experiments:
   
   
5. Analyze the data.
   
   
6. Hand in laboratory reports showing the data and conclusion drawn from the data.
   
   
7. The reports are grades as to neatness, accuracy of data and/or results, and conclusions.
   
   
8. The students are given unknowns at the end of the semester. They are told to determine the contents of the unknown using simple chemical tests (which the students performed or used during the course of the laboratory semester).
   
   
9. The students are also given a test at the end of the semester testing their theory and practical knowledge of biochemistry they learned during the semester.
   

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