Introduction

BIOCHEMISTRY

Prepared by: Luzviminda S. Quitos

College of Science 1
 What is Biochemistry?
• Biochemistry = Chemistry of life
• Biochemistry use physical and chemical
principles to explain the biology at the
molecular level
• Basic principles of biochemistry are common
to all living organisms

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How does Biochemistry Impact you?

• Medicine
• Agriculture
• Industrial Application
• Environmental applications

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 Principle Areas of Biochemistry

• Structure and function of biological

macromolecules
• Metabolism – anabolic and catabolic
processes
• Molecular Genetics – How life is
replicated. Regulation of protein
synthesis

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He discovered the Fischer
Esterification. He also
developed the Fischer
Projection, a symbolic way of
drawing asymmetric carbon
atoms
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James Sumner studied the enzyme urease, which
breaks down urine into ammonia and carbon dioxide
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 Organization of Life
• Elements
• Simple organic compounds (monomers)
• Macromolecules (polymers)
• Supramolecular structures
• Organelles
• Cells
• Tissues
• Organisms
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• Range of the
sizes of objects

• 1 angstrom=0.1nm

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• Most abundant, essential for all organisms: C, N, O, P, S, H
• Less abundant, essential for all organisms: Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cl
• Trace levels, essential for all organisms: Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn
• Trace levels, essential for some organisms: V, Cr, Mo, B, Al, Ga, Sn, Si
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 Carbohydrates
Classification
Monosaccharides
Chiral Carbon Atoms
Structures of Important
Monosaccharides
Cyclic Structures
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 Carbohydrates

• Major source of energy from our diet

• Composed of the elements C, H and O

• Produced by photosynthesis in plants

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 Types of Carbohydrates
• Monosacchrides

• Disaccharides
Contain 2 monosacchride units

• Polysacchrides
Contain many monosacchride units
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 Monosacchrides
• Three Carbons = Triose

• Four Carbons = Tetrose

• Five Carbons = Pentose

• Six Carbons = Hexose

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 Monosacchrides
• Aldoses are monosacchrides with an
aldehyde group and many hydroxyl (-OH)
groups.

• Ketoses are monosacchrides with a

ketone group and many hydroxyl (-OH)
groups.

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 Learning Check C1
Identify each as tetrose, pentose or
hexose, and as aldose or ketose
H
C O CH2OH
H C OH
C O
H C OH
HO C H
H C OH
H C OH
H C OH
CH2OH
CH2OH
A B 26
 Solution C1
H
C O
CH2OH
H C OH
C O
H C OH
H C OH HO C H

H C OH H C OH
CH2OH CH2OH

A B
aldose, hexose ketose, pentose
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 Chiral Objects
• Chiral compounds have the same number
of atoms arranged differently in space.
• A chiral carbon atom has four different
groups attached

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 Mirror Images
• The three-dimensional structure of a chiral
compound has a mirror image.
• Your hands are chiral. Try to superimpose
your thumbs, palms, back of hands, and little
fingers. Is it possible? Why or why not?

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 Learning Check C2
Determine if there is a chiral carbon in
each compound.
Cl Cl
H C CH3 H C CH3
CH2CH3 H
A B
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 Solution C2
Cl Cl
H C CH3 H C CH3
CH2CH3 H
A Yes, 4 different B No, the
groups are attached 2 H atoms
to the second C atom are identical
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 D and L Notation
• D,L tells which of the two chiral isomers
we are referring to.
• If the –OH group on the next to the bottom
carbon atom points to the right , the
isomer is a D-isomer; if it points left, the
isomer is L.
• The D form is usually the isomer found in
nature.

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 D notation

O
H C
H C OH
H C OH
CH2OH
Right = D
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 Glucose
H
C O
H C OH
HO C H
H C OH
H C OH
CH2OH

D-Glucose
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 Fructose
CH2OH
C O
HO C H
H C OH
H C OH
CH2OH

D-Fructose 35
 Galactose
H O
C
H C OH
HO C H
HO C H
H C OH
CH2OH
D-galactose
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 Cyclic Structures
• Monosaccharides with 5-6 carbon
atoms form cyclic structures
• The hydroxyl group on C-5 reacts
with the aldehyde group or ketone
group
O
o

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Haworth Structure for D-Isomers
The cyclic structure of a D-isomer has
the final CH2OH group located above the
ring.
CH2OH
o

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 Haworth Structure for D-
Glucose
• Write –OH groups on the right (C2,
C4) down
• Write –OH groups on the left (C3) up
• The new –OH on C1 has two
possibilities: down for  anomer, up
for  anomer

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 Haworth Structure for D-
Glucose
CH2OH CH2OH
o o OH 
OH OH
OH OH OH

OH OH

-D-Glucose -D-Glucose

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 Mutarotation
• Mutarotation: A small amount of open
chain is in equilibrium with the cyclic
forms.
• The most stable form of glucose is β-D-
glucose .

-D-glucose D-glucose (open) β-D-glucose

(36%) (trace) (64%)
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 Learning Check C3
Write the cyclic form of -D-galactose
H O
C
H C OH
HO C H
HO C H
H C OH
CH2OH 42
Solution C3

CH2OH

OH o
OH
OH

OH
-D-galactose
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