| Topic |
Sub-topic |
| 1. Biological Enzymes as catalysts. |
Structural features that give them advantages over chemical catalysts. Reaction mechanisms. Antibodies as catalysts. Ribozymes. |
| 2. Kinetics of chemical reactions. |
Monosubstrate reactions and Michaelis-Menten kinetics Transformation of the Michaelis- Menten equation. Bisubstrate reaction kinetics. Irreversible inhibitors; binding, examples and applications. Reversible Inhibition: types of inhibition. Kinetics in the presence of inhibitors.
|
| 3. Regulation of enzymatic activity. |
Importance of regulation in metabolism. Allosteric enzymes. Covalent modification. Isoenzymes. Zymogens or proenzymes. |
| 4. Methodology for determination of enzyme activities. |
Direct and indirect assays. Purification of enzymes: specific activity, yield and purification factor. Importance and current applications of enzymology.
|
5. Introduction to Metabolism.
|
Anabolic and catabolic pathways. Compartmentalization. Need for coordination and interaction between the different routes, and variability among species. Levels of obtaining energy. Methodology for the study of metabolic pathways. Levels of study. |
6. Transport of metabolites across cell membranes.
|
Types of transport depending on the energy sources. Structural data. Examples with specific metabolites |
7. Obtaining chemical energy.
|
Oxidation reduction in energy production. Coenzymes involved. Generation of ATP: substrate-level phosphorylation, oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthetic phosphorylation and energy production systems. Detailed study of oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthetic phosphorylation. |
8: Glycolysis and catabolism of hexoses.
|
Location of the routes. Stages and pathway regulation. Fermentations. Relationship with the pentose phosphate pathway. |
9: TCA cycle
|
Location of the route. Conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. Study of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and interaction with other routes. Anaplerotic routes, importance of mitochondrial shuttles and balances. |
10. Gluconeogenesis.
|
Definition and localization, metabolic need for this route. Gluconeogenesis from: pyruvate, lactate, amino acids and triglycerides. Glyoxylate cycle.
|
| 11. "Dark Phase" of photosynthesis. Relationship with gluconeogenesis. |
The Calvin cycle. Photorespiration. Regulation. The C4 pathway of tropical plants. The crassulacean acid metabolism. Sucrose metabolism and starch. |
12. Glycogen metabolism.
|
The reserve polysaccharide glycogen. Biosynthesis and degradation of muscle and liver glycogen. Regulation. The role of the liver in the maintenance of blood glucose. Congenital anomalies of glycogen metabolism |
13. Lipid Metabolism.
|
Lipid catabolism: lipolysis, beta-oxidation. Biosynthesis of fatty acids, triglycerides, membrane lipids and steroids. Regulation of lipid metabolism. Metabolism of ketone bodies. |
14. Metabolism of amino acids.
|
Digestion and degradation of intracellular proteins. Nitrogen removal of amino acids: transamination, deamination. Urea cycle. Ammonia transport to the liver. Fate of the carbon skeleton of amino acids. Amino acid biosynthesis: origin of nitrogen and carbon skeleton. regulation |
15. Derivatives of amino acids.
|
Amino acid precursor functions: Amines with biological activity, glutathione, porphyrins. Metabolism of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides. regulation |
16. Integration of metabolism.
|
Metabolic profiling of major organs. Key connections between routes: glucose-6-phosphate, pyruvate and acetyl CoA. Metabolic adaptations to stress. Fasting, exercise. |
17. Hormonal regulation of metabolism.
|
Hormones as chemical messengers. Second messengers. Metabolic targets of hormone action. Hormone receptors. Adenylate cyclase system. Phospholipase system. Receptor dimerization |
Subjects