CHEM 210: Introductory Biochemistry

Lecture 1
THE CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE

Stephen G. Sabinay
Instructor
Physical Sciences Department
West Visayas State University
 A sad truth

A typical European Farmer

A typical Filipino Farmer

 INTRODUCTION

EM Tecson-Mendoza 2013-0304
Bt corn is first GM crop commercialized in the Philippines
Bt corn is first GM crop
commercialized in the Philippines
• The Philippines is the first Asian country to
commercialize a genetically modified food crop.
• In 2002, Bt corn was planted to 10,000 ha.
• In 2003–2004 to 2007–2008, Bt corn showed
consistently higher % ROI, inspite of higher cost of
seed.
• As of 2012, >700,000 ha planted to Bt corn (single
trait Bt and HT, and stacked Bt and HT)
 Foreign biotech products tested and adopted in
the Philippines
For propagation For direct use as food, feed or for
processing
• Single transformation events
As of 2013
• MON 810
• Corn NK603 Single traits/events
• Corn GA21 • corn 16 potato 2
• Corn Bt11 • Soybean 7 sugarbeet 1
• MON 89034 • Canola 1 alfalfa 1
• Stacked traits • Cotton 3 rice 1
• Corn MON810xNK603
• Bt11xGA21
Stacked traits
• corn 26
• cotton 3

More than 700,000 ha of GM corn planted in PHL

 The Bt technology
 Bt used as microbial pesticide for the past >40
years with a history of safe use
 Bt gene transferred to plant genome; plant
produces toxic protein which is pesticidal

In the gut of •specific toxic protein

larvae binds with receptors
on gut of target larvae

Bt protoxin receptor Toxin-

toxin
receptor
alkaline pH

death “ulcer-like”
 Bt corn benefits

Bt corn
•Higher yield depending on
infestation, up to 40% in field
tests
•reduced pesticide use
•better grain quality
Bt protein in Bt corn is toxic specifically to
Lepidoptera

Dead larva on Bt corn

spider
Live larva on sweet corn

Lady bug
Papaya with
long shelf life
using genetic
engineering by
IPB researchers
in collaboration
with Prof.
Jimmy Botella
of University of
Queensland.
transgenic papaya with delayed ripening trait and ringspot
virus resistance
•Minimizes postharvest losses
•Assures farmers of good
yield
•Provides consumers with
papaya fruits of superior
quality and full attributes of
color, flavor, texture and
aroma of ripened fruit

DA Biotech-EMERGE USAID- ACIAR-DOST-IPB CA-UPLB

project Institute of Plant Breeding, CSC, CA,
UPLB
Most of the current products belong to the first wave
Modern Biotechnology Generations

Fourth wave
Biofuels from
Renewable cellulosic
resources materials
Third wave
Factories
Industrials,
pharmaceuticals
Second wave
Quality traits
Improved nutrition,
First wave quality traits

Agronomic traits
Biotic or abiotic stresses

To develop modern biotech products, a strong

background in Biochemistry is required!
First organisms to be fully sequenced

Haemophilus influenzae

✓ The first free-living organisms to be fully Genome map

sequenced
✓ No physical gene map existed
✓ Genome size of ~1.8 Mbp is typical among
bacteria
What is Biochemistry?
• Study of the molecular basis of life (Mckee, 1999)
• Study of the chemical substances found in living
organism and the chemical interactions of these
substances with each other (Stoker, 2011)
• Study of the chemistry of life processes (Stryer, 2012)
• Scientific discipline that seeks to explain life at
the molecular level (Pratt, 2014)
• the systematic torture of students with copious
incomprehensible jargon, cryptic formula, and
impossible insoluble problems (anonymous biochemistry
student now a teacher!)
 What is BIOCHEMISTRY?

 seeks to explain life at

the molecular level
focus on the structure
and function of
molecules
Major Themes in Biochemistry
• What are living organisms made of?
(Biomolecules structure and function)
• How do organisms acquire and use
energy? (Biological Thermodynamics)
• How do organisms maintain its identity
across generations? (DNA replication)
Biochemical principles underlying living
organisms
• Cells are the basic structural
units of living organisms
• Many chemical reactions take
place in a cell which require
regulation
• Some fundamental reaction
pathways are found in most
cells
• All cells use the same
biomolecules
• Instructions for growth,
development, and
reproduction are stored in the
DNA
A colony of bacteria, a butterfly, a rose, and a dolphin
are all made of cells that have a fundamentally
similar chemistry and operate to the same basic
principles.