Introduction To Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the branch of science that deals with the study
of chemical processes that are going on in the living body. It

forms a bridge between Biology and Chemistry by studying how
complex chemical reactions and chemical structures give rise to
life and life's processes.
Biochemistry incorporates everything in between a molecule

and a cell and all the interactions between them.
The history of biochemistry can be said to have started with the

ancient Greeks who were interested in the composition and
processes of life, although biochemistry as a specific scientific
discipline has its beginning around the early 19th century.
The name Biochemistry was coined in 1903 by a German
chemist named Carl Neuberg. However, work in this very
living, aspect of chemistry had started much earlier. Claude
Bernard is accredited with the Sirehood of Biochemistry.
Carl Alexander Neuberg (29 July 1877 – 30 May 1956) was an
early pioneer in biochemistry, and he is often referred to as the
"father of modern biochemistry".
In 1937 Hans Krebs discovered the process of the Citric Acid
Cycle (also known as Krebs cycle, in honor to him).
Biochemistry essentially remains the study of the

structure and functions of cellular components such as Enzymes
and cellular organelles and the processes carried out both on and
by the macromolecules – Carbohydrates, Fats and especially the
Proteins, Vitamins etc.
Knowledge of biochemistry is also important in diagnosing a

disease by estimating the level of various biomolecules like
Enzymes, Hormones, Lipids, and Proteins etc. in the body by
which a Pathologist can easily understand the root of disease and
therefore implementing the ideal treatment strategy for the
complete cure of disease.
In the modern era, people rely on taking various supplements

like Multivitamins, Minerals, and Protein shakes etc. for better
health in the hectic schedule. All the functions and proper intake
of these supplements can only be described in the biochemistry
after analyzing the body composition of the person and the need
of these supplements for them and thereafter prescribing the
ideal supplements to them.
So, Clinical biochemistry plays a vital role in medical science by

giving the proper knowledge of biochemical processes that are
going on in normal as well as pathological conditions in a living
body, their diagnostic methods and ideal treatments for the
complete cure of pathological conditions.
Because life processes are performed by organic molecules the

discipline of biochemistry relies heavily on fundamental
principles of organic chemistry and other basic sciences. It is of
no surprise that the first "biochemists" actually were organic
chemists who specialized in the chemistry of compounds
derived from living organisms.
The chemical basis of life.

The biomolecules such as proteins that are present in living
organisms are carbon-based compounds. Carbon is the third
most abundant element in living organisms (relative abundance
H > O > C > N > P > S). The most common ions are Ca+2, K+,
Na+, Mg+2, and Cl-. The properties of biomolecules, such as
shape and chemical reactivity, are best described by the
discipline of organic chemistry.
Functional groups.
The chemical reactions of biomolecules are dictated by the
functional groups they contain. E.g. organic compounds and
functional groups that will be encountered constantly in the
proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids and simple metabolites
you will study.
The structure, charge properties, polarity, and basic chemical
reactivity of all of these compounds and functional groups
determine the behavior of the biomolecules.
Many biomolecules are polymers.
The principle biomolecules in cells (proteins, polysaccharides,
and nucleic acids) are polymer chains of amino acids,
monosaccharides, and nucleotides, respectively. Biopolymers
are formed by condensation reactions in which water is removed
from the reacting monomer units. Each monomer unit of a
biopolymer is referred to as a residue.
Proteins.
Most of the chemical reactions of the cell are carried out by
proteins. Proteins also are the major structural components of
most cells and tissues. Proteins are often called polypeptides in
reference to the fact that they are composed of amino acids held
together by peptide bonds. Peptide bonds actually are amide
bonds which are formed by the condensation of the carboxyl
groups and amino groups of consecutive amino acids in the
polymer chain.
The enzymes comprise one subclass of proteins. These proteins
carry out chemical reactions with extraordinary specificity and
speed (up to 1017-fold enhancement in reaction rate).
Lipids and membranes

Lipids are a diverse collection of biomolecules that are
composed mostly of carbon and hydrogen, i.e., hydrocarbons.
Lipids contain relatively few polar functional groups. They
typically are more soluble in organic solvents than in water. The
primary building block of many lipids is a fatty acid.
Carbohydrates
Most carbohydrates are polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are
polymers of simple sugars known as monosaccharides (e.g.,
glucose). Different polysaccharides perform either structural
(cellulose) or energy storage (glycogen, starch) functions.
Nucleic acids
Nucleic acids are composed of nucleotide monomer units.
Nucleotides themselves are composed of a monosaccharide, a
nitrogenous base, and one or more phosphate groups. The
nucleotide ATP is the major energy currency of the cell which is
used to power a huge variety of energy-requiring reactions
Nucleotides play key roles in information transfer in all
organisms (DNA → RNA → protein).
The Energetics of life
Living organisms are highly complicated at the molecular level.
A large amount of energy is invested in maintaining the ordered
and complicated state of cells and tissues. In humans and
animals, energy needed for work and biosynthesis of cellular
structures is derived
from organic molecules in the diet. Often these come from plant
sources, who derived their energy for synthesis of biomolecules
from sunlight. In animals, energy is derived from the breakdown
of fuel molecules by processes referred to as catabolism. In turn,
the energy released from catabolism is used to drive biosynthetic
processes collectively referred to as anabolism
Biochemistry and evolution.
Biochemistry has greatly extended our knowledge of
phylogeny and evolution that was acquired originally through
the disciplines of comparative anatomy, population genetics and
paleontology. In fact, only through biochemistry have we come
to appreciate that all living organisms are similar at the
molecular level. Namely, they share similar means of
replication, cellular structure, and often energy utilization &
production. For this reason, much of what we can learn about
simple organisms such as Escherichia coli can be applied to the
study of higher organisms such as us.
The similarity of organisms at a molecular level indicates that all
are derived from a common ancestor

Introduction To Biochemistry

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction To Biochemistry

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction To Biochemistry

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Biochemistry is the branch of science that deals with the study

of chemical processes that are going on in the living body. It

Biochemistry incorporates everything in between a molecule

The history of biochemistry can be said to have started with the

Biochemistry essentially remains the study of the

Knowledge of biochemistry is also important in diagnosing a

In the modern era, people rely on taking various supplements

So, Clinical biochemistry plays a vital role in medical science by

Because life processes are performed by organic molecules the

The chemical basis of life.

Lipids and membranes

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.