BIOCHEMISTRY

Sir Lymberth M. Benalla, LPT

AN INTRODUCTION

 Biochemistry is defined as:

 It seeks to describe the structure, organism and
functions of living matter
 It is concerned with the chemical and physio chemical
processes of and substances that occur with in the
living organism
 The study of the chemical substances and processes
that microorganism and of the changes they undergo
during development.
SCOPES OF BIOCHEMISTRY

Biochemistry is the heart of ongoing revolution in biological

sciences
The scopes
 Physiology or Medicine
 Genetics
 Biology
 Chemistry
 Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
 Molecular Biology
 HISTORY

1600’s – discovery of cellulae by R. Hooked, birth of Cell Biology,

invention of Microscope
1700’s – van Leeuwenhoek improves the lenses of Microscope
1825 – the birth Biochemistry
1850 – the birth of cell theory
1870’s – linking of living organism to specific process by Pasteur
1875- birth of Genetics, chromosomes, invention of microtome
1900’s – fermentation of cells
1920’s – theory of heredity, DNA, Invention of Electron Microscope
 HISTORY

1930’s – development of ultracentrifuge, development of

genetics of Drosophila
1950’s – Hershey and Chase establish DNA as the genetic
material
1960’s – Watson and Crick propose the double helix DNA,
genetic code
1975 – development of DNA cloning, Chromatin Structure
1990’s – Human Genome Project Begins, Gene Regulations in
Eukaryotes
 HISTORY

2000’s – Understanding the molecular basis of cancer, first

genome sequences of the higher organisms
2010’s – HIV/AIDS vaccine boosted for vaccine cure
2020’s – first announcement of possible cure for HIV,
development of COVID-19 Vaccines
THREE PRINCIPAL AREA OF BIOCHEMISTRY

 Structural Chemistry
 Components of living matter and the relationship to
biological functions
 Metabolism
 Totality of Chemical Reactions
 Molecular Genetics
 Field the seeks to understand heredity and expression of
genetics
BIOCHEMISTRY

Biochemistry is the study of the chemical substances

found in the living organisms and the chemical
interactions of these substances with each other.

Biochemical Substances is the chemical found within a

living organism.
This is divided into two groups Bioinorganic Substances
and Bioorganic Substances,
OVERVIEW OF BIOCHEMICAL SUBSTANCES

Biochemical
Substances

Bioinorganic Bioorganic
substances Substances
without Carbon with Carbon

Inorganic Salts Carbohydrates Nucleic Acids

Water 70% Proteins 15% Lipids 8%
5% 2% 2%
BIOCHEMISTRY

As isolated compounds, bioinorganic and

bioorganic substances have no life in and of
themselves. Yet when these are gathered
together in a cell, their chemical interactions
are able to sustain life.
 “We are here not because
someone told us, we are
because it is destined that you
will be here”
-L. M. Benalla-