ASSIGNMENT BIOCHEMISTRY

“VITAMINS”

BY:
MUHAMMAD IKBAL
17031064
CLASS: NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION 2018
BIOLOGY EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

LECTURER:
Dr. USWATUN HASANAH

BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF MATH AND SCIENCE
UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MEDAN
2019
Questions:

1. Explain how vitamins A, C, and E functions as an antioxidant (give explanation based on the
chemical structure)
2. Write in a table vitamins works as coenzyme and reaction that catalyzed by that enzymes.

Answers:

1. Vitamin E, vitamin C, and plant flavonoids act as an antioxidants. Oxidative stress occurs when
the rate of ROS generation exceeds the capacity of the cell for their removal. Oxydation –
reduction coenzymes are involved in oxidation-reduction reactions catalyzed by enzymes
categorized as oxidoreductases. When a compound is oxidized, it loses electrons. As a result,
the oxidized carbon has fewer H atoms or gains an O atom. The reduction of a compound is
the gain of electrons, which shows in its structure as the gain of H, or loss of O. Some
coenzymes, such as NAD+ and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), can transfer electrons
together with hydrogen and have unique roles in the generation of ATP from the oxidation of
fuels. Other oxidation–reduction coenzymes work with metals to transfer single electrons to
oxygen. Vitamin E and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) are oxidation–reduction coenzymes that
can act as antioxidants and protect against oxygen free radical injury. A subclass of
oxidoreductases is given the name dehydrogenases because they transfer hydrogen (hydrogen
atoms or hydride ions) from the substrate to an electron-accepting coenzyme such as NAD+
(Lieberman & Peet, 2018).
 2. Enzymes works as coenzyme come from enzyme which water-saoluble vitamins. We can
seen the coenzyme products ans reaction mediated by each vitamins in table below.

Table 1. Water-soluble vitamins

(Berg, Tymoczko, Gatto, Jr., & Stryer, 2015)

Ascorbic acid (Vit.C) Ascorbate Hydroxylation Scurvy

(Voet, Voet, & Pratt, 2016)

In contrast to the water-soluble vitamins, only one fat-soluble vitamin (vitamin K) has a
coenzyme function (Ferrier, 2017).
References
Berg, J. M., Tymoczko, J. L., Gatto, Jr., G., & Stryer, L. (2015). Biochemistry (8th ed.). New York: Kate
Ahr Parker.

Ferrier, D. R. (2017). Lippincott Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry (7th ed.). China: Wolters Kluwer.

Lieberman, M., & Peet, A. (2018). Marks’ Basic Medical Biochemistry: A Clinical Approach (5th ed.).
China: Wolters Kluwer.

Voet, D., Voet, J. G., & Pratt, C. W. (2016). Fundamental of Biochemistry (5th ed.). United Stated of
America: Wiley.