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This course will take you into the world of the chemistry of life - biochemistry, where you will learn about the key principles and processes of life. You will learn to recognize and understand the basic functions and properties of proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and lipids. Additionally, you will delve into the fundamental metabolic processes that occur in living organisms. What can you expect? You will discover the role proteins play in living organisms and how their structure affects their function. You will find out why carbohydrates are essential for energy acquisition and how they are metabolized. You will understand how genetic information is stored in DNA and RNA and how this information is transferred. You will grasp the importance of lipids for cell membranes and energy reserves. You will learn how living organisms obtain and utilize energy from ingested substances. This course is ideal for anyone who wants to gain basic knowledge of biochemistry and understand how these processes affect the health and functioning of organisms.
Last update: Lipovová Petra (29.04.2025)
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Attendance at lectures is recommended but not monitored. Last update: Lipovová Petra (10.04.2025)
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Obligatory:
Last update: Cibulková Jana (13.02.2025)
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Biochemistry I is a fundamental theoretical course. Students primarily acquire basic knowledge in the field of biochemistry through lectures that include practical aspects of applying this knowledge in real life. During the course, methods are used to verify the understanding of the material, such as quiz tests or group problem-solving. Additionally, after each lecture, an e-learning test is available to review the knowledge gained from the lecture. Last update: Lipovová Petra (10.04.2025)
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Course with Exam and Credit: The exam consists of a written and an oral part. The written part is mandatory, and the oral part can only be taken after obtaining at least 50 points from the written part (up to 10 points from self-testing in the e-learning course can be added to the written part score). If less than 50 points are achieved, the exam is graded F. The written part consists of ten questions, each graded 0–10 points. If the oral part is unsuccessful, the written part must be retaken. The condition for awarding credit is passing two interim written tests. Credit is awarded if an average of at least 50 points is achieved from both interim written tests (each test is graded 0–100 points). The student has two additional attempts to achieve 50% on the credit test. The final grade is determined by the weighted average of two values: Points from the written part, including bonus points from e-learning (weight 50%). Points from the oral exam (weight 50%). However, if the exam is graded F, the final grade is also F. Last update: Lipovová Petra (10.04.2025)
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1. Definition of biochemistry and its position in the system of natural sciences, organization of living systems. Amino acids (properties, reactions), peptides. (Definition of what biochemistry deals with. Composition and organization of living systems, molecular recognition. Types of non-covalent interactions. Definition of differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes and between plant and animal cells. Proteinogenic amino acids – names, formulas, 3-letter codes, properties, titration curves, calculation of isoelectric points. Peptide bond – formula of the polypeptide chain, peptide nomenclature, calculation/estimation of isoelectric points for simple peptides.)
2. Proteins, classification and general functions of proteins; levels of structure, properties, relationship between structure and function. (Functions of proteins and peptides in living organisms. Description of protein structure levels. Ability to explain denaturation. Common covalent modifications of proteins, namely disulfide bridges, phosphorylation, and glycosylation.)
3. Methods used for biochemical characterization of living organisms (chromatography, electromigration techniques, immunochemical techniques, mass spectrometry, PCR). (Principle of separation using GC, IEC, affinity chromatography. Electrophoretic methods SDS-PAGE, IEF. Basic types of ELISA, Edman degradation, PCR.)
4. Enzymes: structure, nomenclature, classification into classes. Explain the principles of enzyme catalysis and comparison with non-enzymatic catalysts. (Specificity of enzymes. Knowing that there are classes of enzymes. Knowing what cofactors are and their relationship to vitamins. Defining the difference between coenzyme and prosthetic group. Defining initial reaction rate. Writing the Michaelis-Menten equation, defining its parameters and their significance. Explaining enzyme inhibition and the use of inhibitors.)
5. Principles of energy conversion, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, light phase of photosynthesis. (Definition of metabolism. Basics of organism classification in terms of nutrition (trophic). Difference between aerobic and anaerobic organisms. Relationship between autotrophs and heterotrophs. Catabolism, anabolism and their interrelationship. Role of ATP in metabolism and ways of its synthesis. Position of the respiratory chain in metabolism. Principle and significance of respiration. Difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration. What is proton-motive force, how it arises and what units it has. Coupling of the respiratory chain and ATP synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation. ATP formation by photophosphorylation.)
6. Citric acid and glyoxylate cycle. (Intracellular localization of TCA. Summary equation. Position in catabolism. Connection to TCA – where reduced cofactors are regenerated. Sources of acetylCoA: connection with β-oxidation of fatty acids, oxidative decarboxylation. Amphibolic aspects of TCA reactions. Importance and position of TCA in metabolism. Summary equation and significance of the glyoxylate cycle.)
7-9. Carbohydrates and their metabolism. (Definition of carbohydrates, functions of carbohydrates, structure of the most important mono-, di- and polysaccharides. Catabolism and anabolism of carbohydrates (basics of glycolysis, pentose cycle, glycogenesis, glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, Calvin cycle, Cori cycle). Important reactions of glycolysis, energy balance.)
10. Lipids, biomembranes and basics of membrane transport, lipid metabolism. (Definition of lipids, classification and functions. Structure of membranes and properties. Active and passive transport. Activation of fatty acids. Beta-oxidation and connection to TCA. Ketone bodies, fatty acid synthesis. Shuttles for transport of reduced cofactors.)
11. Metabolism of nitrogenous substances. (Protein catabolism. Function of proteases, classification of amino acids into glucogenic, ketogenic and glucoketogenic. Elimination of nitrogen from different types of organisms (ureotelic, uricotelic and ammonotelic organisms), Ornithine cycle.)
12. Regulation of metabolism and its significance. (Basic principles of metabolism regulation at the level of reaction, cycle and endocrine system – examples of hormones. Communication between organisms.)
13. Nucleic acids and their structure, basics of molecular genetics. (Components of nucleic acids and their role in the organism. Terminology – nucleotide, nucleoside, base. Base pairing. Purine and pyrimidine bases. Recognizing the difference between purine and pyrimidine bases. Structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA (primary, secondary, tertiary). Structure of RNA (mRNA, rRNA and tRNA).)
14. Replication, transcription, translation. (Description of transcription and post-transcriptional modifications. Difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. What are introns and exons. What is splicing. Explaining what the genetic code is. Describing translation. What is a codon and anticodon. What are ribosomes.)
Last update: Lipovová Petra (29.04.2025)
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Materials for Biochemie I (Czech version) on: https://e-learning.vscht.cz/
Last update: Lipovová Petra (10.04.2025)
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Basic knowledge of biochemistry: Understanding the fundamental principles and processes of biochemistry, including the structure and function of biomolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids). Ability to define and explain key biochemical concepts and processes. Acquiring theoretical knowledge in modern laboratory techniques, including chromatography, electrophoresis, and PCR. These outcomes will help students gain a basic overview of processes in living organisms and provide insight into the differences and specifics of "living" and "non-living" chemistry.
Last update: Lipovová Petra (10.04.2025)
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Organic chemistry I or Organic chemistry A Last update: Lipovová Petra (10.04.2025)
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| Teaching methods | ||||
| Activity | Credits | Hours | ||
| Účast na přednáškách | 1 | 28 | ||
| Příprava na přednášky, semináře, laboratoře, exkurzi nebo praxi | 1 | 28 | ||
| Příprava na zkoušku a její absolvování | 1.6 | 46 | ||
| Účast na seminářích | 1 | 28 | ||
| Semester tests | 0.4 | 10 | ||
| 5 / 5 | 140 / 140 | |||
| Coursework assessment | |
| Form | Significance |
| Homework preparation | 5 |
| Examination test | 40 |
| Continuous assessment of study performance and course -credit tests | 15 |
| Oral examination | 40 |

