BIOCHEMISTRY

The study of Structure and Functions

of Biomolecules with the Reactions
and Processes they undergo
Carbohydrate
Fat Acids
METABOLISM
Proteins
Nucleic Acids Enzymes and
Coenzymes;
Energy;
Conditions for
the Reactions
 Biochemistry is the study of chemical
composition, metabolism, enzyme function and
nutrition of living things.

 Biochemistry describes the structure,

organization and function of living systems in
molecular terms
 The goals of biochemistry are:
To identify the chemical components and molecules of
living cells.

Such biomolecules are Carbohydrates, Nucleotides

[DNA and RNA], Lipids and Proteins)

To determine the function of each component

How do these components interact and integrate into

biological systems

How do these components affect the overall functions

of cells and living systems
 CRITICAL PROPERTY OF LIFE
 Specificity of interactions

 Cells and molecules always interact specifically

 Due to this specificity of interaction we have:

Immunity – Ag, Ab
Signals hormones and other signals
Tropism (specific viruses or microbes binding to
specific cells or tissues)
Normal body structure and functions
Biochemical reactions
 Biochemical reactions are compartmentalized in
the cells

 Therefore cells have different compartments

 Some of these compartments have more than

one membrane to increase the surface area for
these biochemical reactions
 Because enzymes are
extremely selective
for their substrates,

-the set of enzymes

made in a cell
compartment
determines which
metabolic pathways
occur in that cell
compartment.
 Shuttling the reactants and products between
these compartments is the main problem

 Therefore there are reactions which are there

purposely for communication
 Most biochemical reactions are organised in a
multi-step pathway eg glycolytic pathway or
cascade reactions eg clotting system or
complement system

 This helps in regulation of these complex

reactions
 No matter how complex these reactions may
look, but only few elements are involved.

 These are only six elements of life:

Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Sulfur
Phosphorus
 Understanding the interaction of these elements
is very important

 There are also elements known as trace

elements e.g. Na, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Fe etc which
are also important

 In life we don’t deal specifically with these

elements but with large molecules called
biomolecules
 Therefore the bonding characteristics of these
molecules to form biomolecules is important

 Biomolecules are large molecules

(macromolecules) unique to living organisms and
are usually composed of repeating units

Lipids
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Nucleic acids
 Forces/Bonds/Interactions that dictate
Biomolecules Shapes

 Hydrogen bonds
 Vander-waal forces
 Hydrophobic interactions
 Ionic forces
 Covalent bonds