BCMB 207: VETERINARY BIOCHEMISTRY I

Cell and Tissue: Their principal chemical constituents and main metabolic activities. The characteristics of, and differences between eukaryotes, prokaryotes and viruses. Compartmentalisation and control of cellular environment. Functional role of the main cellular components; nucleus, ribosomes, Golgi bodies, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and lysosomes. Biochemical technique for investigatin cell structure and function. Chemistry & Function of Biological Compounds: Biomolecules: - monomers; polymers; macromolecules; supramolecules. Carbohydrates: - mono-, di-, oligo- and polysaccharides (structural and storage); stereoisomerism; mutarotation; reactions of carbohydrates. Other derivatives of monosaccharides. Glycol-congugates: carbohydrates, sorting of molecules into-subcellular compartments, diseases of sorting. Lipids: - classification (fatty acids, triacylglycerols, phospholipids, sphingolipids, steroids, cholesterol, eicosanoids); simple lipoproteins; glycolipids (cell-cell recognition, receptors etc). Proteins: - amino acids:- basic structure, classification, acid/base properties, essential & non-essential; peptides; protein structure- primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures, classification and properties. Enzymes as proteins. Nucleic Acids: - nitrogenous bases, nucleosides, nucleotides, cyclic nucleotides and nucleic acids DNA and RNAs (brief review of replication, transcription, and translation). Other cellular molecules: Porphyrins, Vitamins and co-enzymes alkaloids & inorganic ions.