Course name

Biochemistry
Introduction
 What is Biochemistry?

 Biochemistry is the study of the chemical

interactions of living things.

 Biochemists study the structures and

physical properties of biological
molecules.
⚫ Often are involved in the manufacture of new
drugs and medical treatments
Biochemistry: where chemistry and
biology meet head-on

 Living things require millions of chemical

reactions within the body, just to survive.

 Metabolism = all the chemical reactions

occurring in the body.

 Organic molecules:
⚫ usually associated with living things.
⚫ always contain CARBON.
⚫ are “large” molecules, with many atoms
⚫ always have covalent bonds (share electrons)
Elements in Living Organisms
 The most common elements found
in living organisms include:
⚫ Carbon (C)
⚫ Oxygen (O)
⚫ Nitrogen (N)
⚫ Hydrogen (H)
⚫ Phosphorus (P)
⚫ Sulfur (S)
Molecules in the cell
 Most essential molecules of the cell are
known
 Organization of molecules in cells:
1. Atoms
2. Small molecules
3. Macromolecules
4. Supramolecular complexes
 Macromolecules of Cells

 Small molecules (MW = 100 - 1000)

 Macromolecules (MW 1000 -
1,000,000)

 4 types of macromolecules in cellular

biology
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic Acids
 Macromolecule #1: Carbohydrates

 Sugars and groups of sugars

 Purposes: energy and structure

 Includes three types:

⚫ Monosaccharide (1 sugar – quick energy)
⚫ Disaccharide (2 sugars – short storage)
⚫ Polysaccharide (many sugars – energy
long storage & form structures)
 Macromolecule #2: Lipids
 Insoluble in water
4 types:
⚫ 1-triglycerides (fats & oils)
 (long-term energy storage, insulation‫)العزل‬
⚫ 2-phospholipids (primary component of cell
membrane)
⚫ 3-steroids (cell signaling ‫)اإلشارات‬
 cholesterol molecules modified‫ المعدلة‬to form sex
hormones. (e.g. testosterone, estrogen, etc.)
⚫ 4-waxes (protection, prevents water loss)
 Used mainly by plants, but also bees, some
‫مغطى بالفرو‬furry animals and humans.
 Macromolecule #3: Proteins
 Probably the most complicated of all biological
molecules.
 Serve the most varied purposes, including:

Support structural proteins (e.g., keratin, collagen)

Enzymes speed up chemical reactions

Transport cell membranes channels, transporters in blood

(e.g., Hemoglobin)

Defense antibodies of the immune system

Hormones cell signaling (e.g., insulin)

Motion contractile proteins (e.g., actin, myosin)

Macromolecule #3: Proteins
 The building blocks of proteins are
AMINO ACIDS. There are only 20
types of Amino Acids.
 There are millions of different
proteins, and they are all built from
different combinations of the 20
amino acids.
 Amino acids join together to form
peptides, polypeptides, and
polypeptide chains.
 Macromolecule #4: Nucleic Acids
 Nucleotides: building blocks of nucleic acids.
⚫ Each nucleotide contains
 (a) phosphate molecule,

 (b) nitrogenous base, and

 (c) 5-carbon sugar

 Several types of nucleic acids, including:

⚫ DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid
 Genetic material, double stranded helix

⚫ RNA: ribonucleic acid

 Genetic material, single stranded

⚫ ATP: adenosine triphosphate

 High energy compound
DNA
Supramolecular complexes

more complex than a molecule ,

also : composed of many molecules
For example :
1-membranes
2-ribosomes
3- multi enzyme complexes
Required textbook(s)
1- 2nd Edition of “Biochemistry” by Garrett and Grasham
2- 4th Edition of “Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry” by David L.
Nelson and Michael M. Cox.