BIOCHEMISTRY NOTES
and kingdoms.
Branches of Biochemistry
1. Structural Biochemistry – that involves
bimolecular structures, deals with the
structures of each molecule. One of the main
branches of biochemistry, deals with chemical
architecture of biological macromolecules.
2. Bio-organic chemistry- it is a branch of
biochemistry that uses the techniques of
organic chemistry. Deals with the study of
organic compounds. The main important
element is carbon.
Covalent bond is a chemical bond that involves
the sharing of electrons
3. Enzymology- study of enzymes, the different
activities of enzymes in chemical processes.
Also the behavior of the catalyst.
4. Metabolic biochemistry- study the different
types of metabolic pathways in cellular level.
5. Immunology- study of the immune system
6. Endocrinology- study of biosynthesis, storage
and functions of hormones
7. Virology- study of viruses
8. Molecular genetics and genetic engineering-
area of biochemistry and molecular biology.
Study of genes and inheritance, their traits from
one generation to another.
9. Molecular biology- molecular level of living
things
10. Cell biology- study of the morphology and
physiological aspects of the cells
Biochemical Substances (found within the living
organisms)
- Bioorganic substances do not contain carbon,
example is water
- Bioorganic substances contain carbon, example
proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates
Biochemistry is not an isolated subject
Biomolecules are important in living organisms for them
to be able to survive, they can be in complex form or in
simple form.
- If it is a complex molecule it is composed of
groups, and simple are simple units
- If there are amino acid group, we are forming
proteins. There are a total of 20 amino acids
present in our bodies.
- Lipid are fatty acids
- Biomolecules are needed and present in the
membrane
- Living organism should also include nutrients
- Nutrients are energy
- Kingdoms are the study of morphology and
structure
- Cells can be in eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells.
- Cells has 3 mains parts (cytoplasm, nucleus, cell
membrane), and also different organelles
- Lysosome is an organelle which works as a
garbage cleaner of the cell
- If there are a group of cells, forms a tissue
- There is no chloroplast in animals, only in plants
- Chloroplast is responsible for the color of
plants, while melanin for humans
- There are 3 types of plastids, chloroplast (green
color), chromoplast (variation of colors),
leucoplast (white color to plants)
- Is there are group of organs we are now
forming a system (ex. Muscular system etc)
- Chemical composition of living matter – water.
All living things have water
- Tissue have 70-90 % water and 10-30% solids 1
% is inorganic
- Water is a universal solvent
- Aids in digestion etc
- Water maintains body temp, and act as
transporting medium
- Plays important role in bodies mechanical
function
- Water aids in cleansing body waste products
- H2O water – H is slightly positive, O is slightly
negative
- Water is found partly in Free state capable of
passing from one cell to another (thru osmosis
or diffusion)
- The tissue with greater physiological activity
needs larger water content, ex. Blood, brain,
muscles
- Water is used in making of solution
- Solution has a solute (the one that is dissolved)
and solvent (the one that is used to dissolved)
- Saturated – equal amount of solute and solvent
- Unsaturated – lesser amount of solute, bigger
amount of solvent
- Supersaturated – high solute, less solvent
- 2 types of mixtures, heterogenous and
homogeneous
Characteristics of water
- Has unique properties such as boiling point,
freezing point, etc
- Water has exceptional solvent properties
(needs to consider the polarity)
- Altered by a solute (colligative property-
together have a common basis have altered by
a dissolved solute)
- Water is an ideal solute
- High specific heat – due to its intensive network
of hydrogen bond. Allows the body to store the
heat
- High evaporation – example is ice
- High Heat of fusion
- High surface tension
 Molecular Interaction LESSON 2: CARBOHYDRATES

- Hydrogen bonding – interaction between the
partial negative charge and partial positive
charge
- Ions – an atom or molecule that does not have
equal number of electrons and protons, a
counterpart of covalent bond (for metal and
nonmetal)
- Polarity – different electronegativity (electron
withdrawing ability)
- Electrolytes- undergo process of ionization
- Acid-based – if dissolve in water they would
break up into ion acid or base acid (important in
living organisms – to prevent acidosis and
alkalosis these could lead to coma or death) Ph
scale is use. 0-6 acid, 7 is neutral, 8-14 is based
Attributors to life (Characteristics of organisms for it to
survive)
- Adaptation – the living org can adapt in their
habitat
- Growth and repair- ability to add new tissues
and replace and repair tissue
- Reproduction – ability to produce offspring
- Metabolism – biological and chemical activities
that provide energy, can be catabolism or
anabolism
Physical Chemistry
- Understanding of substances that undergoes
chemical processes
- Study of matter and chemical processes
- Carbohydrates are the main source of energy of
the body
- Carbon, Hydrogen, and oxygen are the main
components of carbohydrates
- Carbohydrates are produce during
photosynthesis
- Carbohydrates in plants have 2 main uses of
carbohydrates in form of cellulose (structure)
and starch(energy)
- 2/3 of carbohydrates by mass, recommended
daily intake for human
- CO2+ WATER + solar energy = carbohydrates +
O2 (chemical formula of photosynthesis)
- Carbohyrates is the 1st product of
photosynthesis
- Carbohyrates are also made up of aldehyde or
ketone derivatives of polyhrdric alcohols
- n represents the number of carbons
- carbohyrates most abundant molecules in
nature
- Hydrates of carbon – carbohydrates
- Not all sugar have the same formula
- Carbihydrates undergo oxidation and provides
energy
- Storage form of energy in the body
- Proteins are also biomolecules that provides
energy
- Glycogen provides short term energy reserve
- Carbohydrates provides structural component
of many organisms
-

Colloidal state of matter

- Crystalloids – pass a membrane

- Colloids – does not pass a membrane
- New concept of classification – size of particles
of solute ( dispersed phase) dispered in solvent
( dispersion medium)

General properties

- Filtrability – example dialysis

Neglible osmotic pressure

Tyndall phenomenon – methelometer (instrument)

Brownian movement – continuous eratic vibration

Ex. Particles of dust during night pag may flashlight

Electrical charges

Surface tension

Adsorption

Chromatography

Viscosity

Osmosis

Diffusion

Dialysis