Unit FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY
- Course
- Economics and culture of human nutrition
- Study-unit Code
- A001470
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Alessandro Datti
- Teachers
-
- Alessandro Datti
- Hours
- 54 ore - Alessandro Datti
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2022
- Offered
- 2023/24
- Learning activities
- Base
- Area
- Discipline biologiche
- Academic discipline
- BIO/10
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- ITALIAN
- Contents
- This undergaduate course teaches key concepts in Biochemistry, including i) structure and functional role of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids; ii) processes and regulatory mechanisms that underlie the biological flow of information; iii) bioenergetic principles, enzyme mechanisms, and regulation of central metabolic pathways; iv) an introduction to cell signaling; and v) biochemical aspects of food constituents, nutrition, and metabolic disorders. Because the field of biochemistry is continually evolving and touches many areas of cell and molecular biology, this course includes an elementary introduction to biochemical methods and the most recent biotechnologies applicable to Agricultural and Food Sciences. The course is intended for students with undergraduate training in General Biology, Chemistry, and Genetics, and is offered to provide necessary knowledge and critical perspectives to successfully tackle more advanced courses in Life Sciences, Biotechnology, and Nutrition.
- Reference texts
- Jeremy M Berg, John L Tymoczko, Gregory J. Gatto, Lubert Stryer
BIOCHIMICA
Ottava edizione italiana condotta sulla nona edizione americana, Zanichelli (2020)
David L Nelson, Michael M Cox
INTRODUZIONE ALLA BIOCHIMICA DI LEHNINGER
sesta edizione, Zanichelli (2018)
L Pollegioni
FONDAMENTI DI BIOCHIMICA
EdiSES edizioni (2021) - Educational objectives
- This course provides theoretical knowledge of relevant topics in General and Metabolic Biochemistry. Lectures are designed to i) emphasize biological significance of, and connections between, the entire course content; ii) introduce students to critical thinking in biochemistry; and iii) present and discuss real-world applications of biochemistry to agriculture, nutrition, and human diseases. By the end of this course, students should be able to analyze, synthesize, and integrate biochemical topics, and develop a cultural basis to knowledgeably approach subsequent programs in biomolecular and nutrition areas.
- Prerequisites
- Prerequisites for the Biochemistry course include academic knowledge of Chemistry and, particularly, Organic Chemistry. Specifically, students must successfully complete the Chemistry course taken in the first year. Good backgrounds in General Biology and Genetics would greatly facilitate students throughout their learning process.
- Teaching methods
- In-class lectures will cover the entire course material. Lectures are supported by PowerPoint slides and other commmunication means (e.g., videos) that will be made available to students shortly after each lecture through the Unistudium platform. In class, students are encouraged to intervene with answers to impromptu quizzes or comments/considerations about specific topics. Students are also encouraged to meet with the lecturer to clarify topics or discuss any issues impacting their progress.
- Other information
- Class attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended.
- Learning verification modality
- Oral exam, consisting of a 60 min interview. Students will initially present one or two general topics (e.g. Transcription, Lipid Metabolism etc.) to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and attention to details. Students will subsequently be challenged with a few (4-6) questions related to any of the course’s subjects.
Student Assessment: marks will combine students' performance in relation to their overall knowledge in Biochemistry (50%), ability to integrate complementary subjects (30%), and communication skills (20%). - Extended program
- Structural and functional organization of the cell. Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Polar molecules, hydrogen bonds, acids and bases, pH, pK, and buffer systems. Amino acids and peptides. Three-dimensional structure of proteins. Methods of protein purification and characterization. Enzymes and enzyme kinetics. Enzyme assays. Control of enzyme activity. Enzyme inhibitors. Carbohydrates. Lipids. Biological membranes. Nucleic acids, chromatin, and information flow. Transcription. Translation. Introduction to point mutations and gene expression. Post-translational modifications of proteins. Protein degradation. Introduction to recombinant proteins. Intermediary metabolism. Glycolysis. Citric acid cycle. Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation. Lipid metabolism. Photosynthesis. Storage of carbohydrates. Nitrogen metabolism. Integration of metabolism and cellular signaling. Hormones and second messengers. Introduction to modern Genome- and Transcriptome-based biotechnologies.