“…everything that

living things do
can be understood
in terms of the
jigglings and
wigglings of
atoms.”
Richard P. Feynman. Lectures
on Physics,
Addison-Wesley, 1963
Video Presentation 1
Video Presentation3 2
 What is BIOCHEMISTRY?
CHEMISTRY

▪ Study of the structure, composition, and chemical

reactions of substances in living systems

▪ Systematic study of the chemical substances

found in living organisms, their organization and
chemical interactions with each other, and the
principles of their participation in the processes of
life.
History (Milestones) of Biochemistry
Theory of Vitalism
▪ Living things possessed a certain “vital force” needed to
make organic molecules.
▪ Organic molecules could only be synthesized by living
systems.

▪ Vitalist scientists
categorized the chemical
compounds of living
organisms as organic
and the compounds of
nonliving things as
inorganic.
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 History of Biochemistry
▪ In 1828, Friedrich Wöhler disproved the Theory of Vitalism when he
synthesized urea, an organic compound and a waste product of
animal metabolism, using two inorganic compounds, potassium
cyanate and ammonium chloride.
▪ Many science historians considered this in vitro synthesis of urea as
the starting point of biochemistry.

Ammonium Potassium
chloride cyanate

Organic compounds
include hydrocarbons
and their derivatives.

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 History of Biochemistry
▪ Carl Alexander Neuberg, a German chemist, coined
the term “Biochemistry” as a new discipline in 1903.
▪ Contributions:
- Discovery of the carboxylase
- Elucidation of alcoholic fermentation

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What does the Biochemistry discuss?
Structural Chemistry
(structure and function of cellular components )
What does the Biochemistry discuss?
Metabolism (Bioenergetics) and Regulation
What does the Biochemistry discuss?
Molecular Genetics (Gene Expression and Modulation)
Biochemistry as a discipline and an
interdisciplinary science

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 Importance of Biochemistry in Medicine

Diagnostic Tests
(Biochemical Tests)

Kidney function test

In kidney disorders, urine test help understand the extent of
excretion of drugs or other metabolites, the change in pH, the color
of urine and others.

Liver function tests help understand the type of disease or damage

to liver, the effect of any medication on liver.
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Serum cholesterol test (Evaluation
of blood cholesterol level and other
lipoproteins) helps understand the
proneness of the patient to
cardiovascular diseases.

Diabetes (Diagnostic test):

• Biochemical analytical test for blood glucose level helps one
understand the severity of diabetes disorder (Fasting Blood
Glucose, FBS: Diabetic- 126 mg/dL or above, Prediabetic- 100 to
125 mg/dL, and Normal-99 mg/dL or below) .
• Biochemical test for ketones bodies in urine indicates the stage
of diabetes. Appearance of ketone bodies or ketone urea
is mostly last stage of diabetes.
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Pregnancy test:
• Pregnancy test uses the
presence of HCG or human
chroionic gonadotropin
hormone as the indication of
pregnancy. This type of
hormone is made by the
placenta as soon as the
implantation of embryo into
the uterine walls. This
hormone can be detected by
the urine or blood sample.
▪ Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is an important biomarker
for detection of pregnancy and pregnancy-related disorders, as
well as a useful tumor marker. It is also a component of
some prenatal screening tests for Down syndrome.
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PKU test:
• PKU is a rare disorder that prevents
the body from properly breaking
down a substance called
phenylalanine (lack of phenylalanine
hydroxylase, which can cause mental
retardation).
• PKU (phenylketonuria) screening test
is a blood test given to newborns 24–72 hours after birth.
Ames test:
• The Ames test is a widely
employed method that uses
bacteria to test whether a given
chemical can cause mutations in
the DNA of the test organism.
• It can also indication of cancer
potential in our body. 15
 Biochemistry

Physiology

Pathology: Based on the symptoms described by the patient, physician can get
clue on the biochemical change and the associated disorder. For example if a
patient complains about stiffness in small joints, then physician may predict it to
be gout and get confirmed by evaluating uric acid levels in the blood. As uric acid
accumulation in blood results in gout.
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Hormonal deficiency: There are many disorders due to hormonal imbalance in
especially women and children. The formation, role of hormones in the normal body
function is taught in biochemistry by which the physician can understand the
concerned problem during treatment. 17
 Disease Prevention and Treatment
Medicines/Therapeutics

Vaccine Development

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▪ Supplementation with
vitamins and minerals
• The function and
role of vitamin in
body is described by
biochemistry.
• In the present
scenario, many
people rely in taking
multivitamin and
minerals for better
health.

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Importance of Biochemistry in Agriculture
▪ In agriculture biochemistry plays a valuable role
in farming, fishery, poultry, sericulture,
beekeeping and among others.

Livestock

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▪ Prevention and
treatment of
diseases

▪ Enhance yield
• Some hormones
promote growth.
• In fisheries and
livestock (farm
animals), growth
and reproductive-
related hormones
are used.
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▪ Diagnostic Tests
(Biochemical Test)

• Checking of the
quality of milk

• Monitoring the water quality

(Any drastic change in water chemistry and composition
of fishery ponds can lead to the vast death of fishes and
prawns, thus, regular checking is done.)
• Monitoring adulteration in food. Even the composition of food
material produced, their alteration or adulteration (e.g. in
honey) can be checked by biochemical tests. Biochemistry tests
help prevent contamination.

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▪ Enhance plant growth:
• By increasing the expression of the enzyme H+PPase, plants
can more effectively move sugar, water and nutrients to the
places they need them to grow better roots, fruits, seeds
and young leaves.
• Use of plant growth hormones/regulators

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Importance of Biochemistry in Nutrition

▪ In nutrition, biochemistry describes the food chemistry.

▪ Food chemistry gives an idea of what we eat, i.e. it’s
components like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and also
the possible physiological alteration due to
their deficiency. 26
Role of nutrients:

• Due to biochemistry the importance of vitamins, minerals,

essential fatty acids, their contribution to health were known.
Hence there is frequent recommendation for inclusion of
essential amino-acids, cod liver oil, and salmon fish oil by
physicians and other health and fitness experts.

• The nutrient value

of food material
can also be
determined by
biochemical tests.

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Role of nutrients:

•Physician can prescribe to limit usage of

certain food like excess sugar for diabetics,
excess oil for heart & lung problem prone
patients.

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Importance of Biochemistry in Pharmacy

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Drug Constitution:
Biochemistry gives an idea of
the constitution of the drug, its
chances of degradation with
varying temperature, and how
modification in the medicinal
chemistry helps improve
efficiency, minimize side effects.
Drug storage:
The storage condition required can be estimated by
biochemical test. For example many enzymes, hormones
are stored for dispensing. These get deteriorated over
time due to temperature or oxidation, contamination and
also due to improper
storage. 31
Drug metabolism:
It also gives an idea of how drug molecules
are metabolized by many biochemical reactions in
presence of enzymes. This helps to avoid drugs which
have poor metabolism or those with excessive side
effects from being prescribed or dispensed to the patient.

32
The half life:
This is a test done on biochemical drugs to know how
long a drug is stable when kept at so and so temperature.

Biochemical tests:
These tests help fix the specific half life or date of expiry
for drugs.

33
Biochemistry in Environmental Science
▪ Biochemistry is used in Environmental Science to understand
the environment’s effect on living organisms as they interact
with environmental pollutants.

▪ Using biochemistry it is
possible to study how
the different pollutants
behave once they are in
the body (where they
are transformed,
eliminated or stored and
how this can affect the
different biological
process of a normally
functioning organism).
Bioremediation of
Contaminated Soil

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 Biochemistry in Biodiversity
▪ Genetic
mapping of
ecosystems to
monitor
biodiversity

Biodiversity encompasses the variety of lifeforms found at all

scales of biological organization, ranging from genes to species to
ecosystems.
 Biochemistry vs. Biotechnology

Biochemistry develops our Biotechnology harnesses these

understanding of the chemistry of advances of understanding for
life, revealing the complex processes beneficial use in industry,
in operation in living systems. medicine and agriculture. 37
Application of Biotechnology

38
39
40
 Why study living organisms?
What are the characteristic features of living organisms?

1. Living organisms extract,

transform and use energy
from the environment.

Video Presentation 3
2. Living organisms have high degree of chemical
complexity and microscopic organization.

Organization of Life
• elements
• simple organic
compounds (monomers)
• macromolecules
(polymers)
• supramolecular
structures
• organelles
• cells
• tissues
• organisms
 Structural hierarchy in the molecular organization of cells

43
1 dalton  1.66 x 10-24 gram
1 dalton  1.66 x 10-24 gram
44
Structural hierarchy in the molecular organization of cells

45
 Lipids

monomer fatty acid

polymer phospholipid

supramolecular
membrane
structure
 Biochemical Substances
Chemical substance found within a living organism

Substances that do
not contain carbon
and hydrogen

Substances that
contain carbon and
hydrogen
Mass composition data for the human
body in terms of major types of
biochemical substances. 47
 Biochemical Substances
▪ As isolated compounds, bioorganic and bioinorganic
substances have no life in and of themselves.
▪ Yet when these substances are gathered together in a
cells, their chemical interactions are able to sustain
life.
▪ A cell in particular, and a whole organism in general
has three basic needs:
1. Materials
Materials Energy
2. Information
3. Energy Information
▪ Without the daily satisfaction of these needs, human
life would be severely constrained.
48
Material Needs

49
50
Information

51
Energy

52
Characteristics of Biochemical Reactions

53
Video Presentation 4, 5 and 6
54
 Cells: Prokaryotic or Eukaryotic

Eukaryotes
▪ Greek: eu-true
▪ have a nucleus and
membrane-bound organelles
▪ plants, fungi, & animals
Prokaryotes
• Greek: pro-before; karyon-nucleus
• lack a nucleus or membrane-bound
structures called organelles
• bacteria
Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells:
Similarities and Differences

56
Prokaryotic Cell
Eukaryotic Cell
Eukaryotic Cell
 Plant and Animal Cells:
Similarities and Differences

60
Eukaryotic Organelles Molecular Composition and Biological Function

61
Plasma Membrane
▪ Cell’s defining boundary
▪ Provides a barrier
▪ Contains transport and signaling systems.62
Cytoplasm
▪ Enclosed by the plasma
membrane, liquid portion
called cytosol and it houses
the membranous organelles 63
▪ The nucleolus is a site for
synthesis of RNA making up 64
the ribosome
Mitochondria
▪ The “power plants” of cells
▪ Surrounded by a double membrane with a series
of folds called cristae.
▪ Functions in energy production through 65
metabolism.
66
 Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
The transport network for molecules

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)

▪ A site for synthesis and metabolism of lipids

Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)

▪ Covered with ribosomes (causing the "rough"
appearance) which are in the process of
synthesizing proteins for secretion or
localization in membranes.

Ribosomes
▪ Protein and RNA complex responsible for
protein synthesis
68
Golgi Apparatus
▪ Processes and packages the macromolecules
▪ A series of stacked membranes. Vesicles carry materials
from the RER to the Golgi apparatus. Vesicles move
between the stacks while the proteins are "processed" to
69
a mature form.
Lysosomes
▪ Contain digestive enzyme
▪ A membrane bound organelle that is
responsible for degrading proteins and
membranes in the cell 70
71
 Virus

Video Presentation 7, 8 and 9 72

 Virus

▪ Sub microscopic entity consisting of a single nucleic acid

surrounded by a protein coat and capable of replication only
within the living cells of bacteria, animals or plants.
 Virus

Lipid Envelope Nucleic Acid

Protein
Capsid

Virion
Associated
Spike
Polymerase
Projections
(Enzyme)
Protein envelope
 Protein Coat
(Capsid)

• A delivery system for transferring the virus genome

from one cell to another.
• The protein serves to provide protection to the
nucleic acid against the environment

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 Lipid Envelope

Spike
Projections

• Lipid envelope surrounds the protein coat. There

may be some modification to the lipid composition
induced during virus maturation.
• Inserted into the lipid envelope there are usually
virus proteins which are present as spike projections
which are normally glycoproteins.
76
 Nucleic Acid

Virion
Associated
Polymerase

Genomic Nucleic Acid

• Viruses only possess a single type of genomic nucleic
acid – either DNA or RNA but not both.
• This nucleic acid can be in a variety of physical forms
that can be used as a valuable classification feature.
77
 Virus vs Cells

Virus are considered to be non-living

▪ Does not meet all of the characteristics of life
▪ Viruses can be crystallized. Crystallization is a typical
characteristic for non-living organisms. 78
 Transmission of Viral Disease
▪ Virus are pathogenic. ▪ Possible ways to become
- They cannot reproduce unless infected are
they attack another cell. – Bites
▪ Virus are carcinogenic. – Physical contact
- Once in the cell the have a – Body fluid
tendency to cause irreparable – Mother to child
genetic damage that can lead to – Contact in the air
cancer.
– Sexual contact
· HPV & Cervical cancer
– Environmental
· Hepatitis B & C & Liver cancer exposure
· T Lymphotropic & Leukemia

80
 Viral Reproduction
• Viruses must have a living host cell to
reproduce
– Example: Bacteriophages infect bacteria
– Example: Herpes Simplex 1 infects lip cells
• Virus insert their genetic information inside
the host cell and use the host cell to make
more virus particles
 Virus Replication
Lytic and Lysogenic Cycles:

A1 Viral DNA is
A Virus particle binds, A2 Chromosome and
inserted into host
injects genetic material. integrated viral DNA
E Lysis of host cell chromosome by are replicated.
lets new virus particles viral enzyme action.
escape.
Lytic Pathway Lysogenic Pathway

D Accessory parts are A3 Cell

B Host replicates viral
attached to viral coat. divides;
genetic material, builds
recombinant
C Viral proteins self- viral proteins. A4 Viral enzyme DNA in each
assemble into a coat excises viral DNA daughter cell.
around viral DNA. from
chromosome.
 Treatment of Virus
▪ Antibiotics: Do not work on viruses…
- They are not living.
▪ Virus treatment options:
- Antivirals: specific for infection
- Body’s natural defenses: Immune system
· Rest
· Antioxidants
▪ Vaccines are taken beforehand to prevent
infections by introducing the immune system to
viral recognition signals.
 Coronavirus
• The most prominent feature
of coronaviruses is the club-
shape spike projections
emanating from the surface
of the virion.
• SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) emerged in late 2002 and
disappeared by 2004.
• MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) emerged in 2012 and
remains in circulation in camels.
• 2019-nCoV emerged in December 2019 from China and a global effort
is under way to contain its spread.
• Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between
animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was
transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary
camels to humans 84
 Human coronaviruses most commonly spread
from an infected person to others through

▪ the air by coughing and sneezing

▪ close personal contact, such as touching or shaking
hands
▪ touching an object or surface with the virus on it,
then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before
washing your hands
▪ rarely, fecal contamination

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