Biochemistry

Owner	Bachelor Scheikunde (joint degree)
Coordinator	dr. Jocelyne Vreede
Part of	Exchange Programme Faculty of Science, specialisation BSc Chemistry, year 1Bachelor Chemistry (Joint Degree), year 2

Course manual 2021/2022

Course content

The course Chemical Reactivity and Biomolecules in the first year of the bachelor focused on the chemical properties of the main building blocks of the cell. In this course the emphasis lies on the dynamics of chemical reactions that occur in the living cell. The mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed reactions are illustrated. Describing the reactions that occur in catabolic processes, illustrates how enzymes are optimized and tuned within metabolic networks. These processes also address the question of how the cell acquires the required energy for the various endergonic reactions. The activation of metabolic pathways requires monitoring the energy requirements of the cell and regulation of metabolic rates. The molecular mechanisms underlying these processes will be discussed, with emphasis on regulation of enzymes. Also, regulation through protein synthesis will be discussed, which required deeper insight into the processes of transcription and translation. Finally, cell division requires correct DNA replication. The molecular mechanisms underlying this process will be discussed.

Study materials

Literature

• Berg, Tymoczko, Gatto and Stryer, Biochemistry, 8th edition, 2015.

Other

• Lecture slides

• Homework assignments

• Seminar exercises

• Lectures notes

Objectives

• explain the mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed reactions using general chemical knowledge
• explain the mechanisms of enzyme regulation
• describe the various ways in which molecules can be transported over a membrane
• dentify and describe the chemistry underlying signal transduction in the living cell
• apply general thermodynamic concepts to the energy conservation mechanisms in the living cell
• calculate energy yields and redox balances of chemotrophic catabolism
• describe the principles of glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
• describe the principles of respiration and chemiosmotic theory
• describe the structure-function relationships of nucleic acids
• explain the mechanisms of DNA replication, repair, proofreading and recombination
• describe transcription, RNA processing and (the regulation of) protein synthesis.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• Active participation is expected of each student in the course for which he is registered.
• If a student cannot attend an obligatory part of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the teacher in question as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
• It is not allowed to miss obligatory parts of the programme's component if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
• In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component. Conditions for sufficient participation are fixed in advance in the study guide and/or on Canvas.

Assessment

Item and weight	Details
Final grade
1 (100%) Tentamen

There is one exam at the end of the course. 

Inspection of assessed work

Contact the course coordinator to make an appointment for inspection.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Recommended prior knowledge
Chemical Reactivity and Biomolecules (year 1 of the bachelor Chemistry)

The course will be taught in English.

Processed course evaluations

Below you will find the adjustments in the course design in response to the course evaluations.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Jocelyne Vreede