BMB530: Basic Biochmestry (5 ECTS)

STADS: 01012801

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: frankk@bmb.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
brewer@memphys.sdu.dk
lfo@bmb.sdu.dk
adelinar@bmb.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
None

Course introduction
To give the students a basic introduction to the catalytic function and mechanisms of enzyme action, to the structure and function of biological membranes and a basic introduction to eukayotic cell metabolism on a molecular level. The students are introduced to the underlying theory of enzymes and membranes and in the methods used to study these. In addition some biochemical processes in animal and plant metabolism and their regulation are introduced with an emphasis on mammalian cells.        

Expected learning outcome
After completing the course the student should be able to:

• use methods from chemical kinetics and enzyme kinetics to determine characteristic constants such as KM and turnover number for enzyme, both in theory and in practice
• explain how the activity of enzymes are regulated, including allosteric regulation
• explain the structure of biological membranes and how compounds are transported through these
• use the thermodynamic and kinetic foundations of metabolism and explain the significance of  free energy and euqilibriun constants for coupled reactions and the universal role of ATP in this coupling
• describe metabolites, enzymes amd coenzymes in glykolysis, glukoneogenesis, the citric acid cycle, glyoxylate cycle and the principles behind regulation and integration of these pathways
• explain the pentose phosphate pathway and its regulation by metabolittes and coenzymes       
• describe the transport of glucose in blood and how these compounds are taken up by cells
• describe the light reactions of photosynthesis and CO2-fixation in plants (biology students)

Subject overview
The following topics will be covered:

1. Chemical kinetics 
2.  Simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics
3. Regulation of enzyme activity
4. Lipid structures in aqueous solution
5. Models of biological membranes
6. Active and passive membrane transport
7. Ion channels
8. Metabolism: basic terms and principles
9. Glykolysis and gluconeogenesis
10. TCA and oxidative phosphorylation
11. Glycogen metabolism
12. Integration of metabolism

Literature

• Laurence A. Moran (Author), Robert A Horton (Author), Gray Scrimgeour (Author), Marc Perry (Author): : Principles of Biochemistry , 5th Edition.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
Participation in lab. work is a prerequisite for exam part a. Pass/fail, internal evaluation by teacher.

Assessment and marking:

1. Reports on lab. work. Pass/fail, internal evaluation by teacher (1 ECTS)
2. Written exam (4 ECTS). External examiner, Danish 7 mark scale. No printed or digital aids, only own handwritten notes. Calculator without saved data allowed.

The written exam is given as a digital exam on e-learn.

Reexam in the same exam period or immediately thereafter. Reexam in part a is held as an oral exam (pass/fail, internal evaluation). The form of a re-examination in part b may differ from the regular exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 22 hours
Skills training phase: 28 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 20 hours
 - Laboratory exercises: 8 hours

Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.