BIC1B01: Principles of Biochemistry

Lecturer: Dr. Gerrit Koorsen

Office: C2 LAB 229

Tel: 011-559 2821

Consultation:

By appointment only

Theory C LES 402 Practical D2 LAB 115/6

Tuesday: 17.10 – 18.45

AND

Thursday: 08.00 – 09.35

Thursday: 09.45 – 12.55

OR

Friday: 13.50-17.05

Lectures:

Dr Jacinda James

PRACS START THIS WEEK!!!!TESTS: 21 August and 2 October

Text books:

Campbell and Farrell

‘Biochemistry’

7th Edition

(Thompson)

Boyer

‘Biochemistry Laboratory’

2nd Edition

(Benjamin Cummings)

Essential

Optional

R 544.95

R 607.95

Edulink

• Class notes

• Test dates

• Assignments

• Other announcements

What is Biochemistry?

“Biochemistry seeks to describe the structure, organization and functions of living matter in

molecular terms”

Typical questions that a Biochemist might ask:

1. What are the chemical structures of the components of living matter?

2. How do the interaction of these components give rise to organized structures, cells, tissues and organs?

3. How does living matter extract energy from its surroundings in order to remain alive?

4. How does an organism store and transmit the information necessary for it to live and multiply?

5. How are the chemical reactions inside cells controlled?

BIC1B01

Molecules of Life

Basic Biochemistry Techniques

‘Macromolecules’

• 100s to 1,000,000s times larger than H

• Polymers

Monomer

(‘building block’)

Polymers

(‘macromolecule’)

The ‘building blocks’ (monomers) of biomolecules formed on the early Earth

Miller-Urey experiment

STARDUST mission

monomer polymer

Amino acid Protein

monomer polymer

Fatty Acid Lipid

monomer polymer

Nucleotide Nucleic Acid

monomer polymer

monosaccharide polysaccharide

BIOCHEMISTRY @ UJ

“Cutting-edge exploration of the molecules of Life”

Toxicologist / Forensic AnalystBiomedical ScientistLaboratory Supervisor / TechnicianResearch ScientistFood ScientistMolecular GeneticistCytologistBiotechnologistEnvironmental AnalystPlant PathologistSales Representative / Product SpecialistTertiary EducationIntellectual property law (patents, trademarks)

Biochemistry Careers

Biochemistry Researchat UJ

CancerDiabetes

Plant defense Chromatin Tuberculosis

Plant defence

Unlike animals, plants can’t run away from threatsHow do they defend themselves?

Can we produce crops that are resistant against pests?

Cancer

A life-threatening disease in which cell-division goes awryCan compounds in medicinal plants kill cancer cells?

Can we develop metal compounds to kill cancer cells?

Tuberculosis (TB)

Major cause of death in SA (HIV/AIDS)Does vitamin D help to protect us against TB?

Are certain people more susceptible to TB infection?

Diabetes

Lifestyle disease affecting glucose metabolismHow does diabetes develop?

Can exercise prevent the onset of diabetes?

Chromatin

There is 2m of DNA inside each of our cells and billions of kilometers of DNA inside our bodies

How does DNA fit into a tiny nucleus?How can our cells read such densely packaged genes?

CANSA Shavathon

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