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BSN Lecture Note 1a Intro To Biochemistry

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43 views3 pages

BSN Lecture Note 1a Intro To Biochemistry

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leonamei04
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© © All Rights Reserved
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UNIT 1
Foundations of Biochemistry

LESSON 1a
Introduction to Biochemistry
What is Biochemistry? What is its importance in the biological system?
Biochemistry is the science concerned with the chemical basis of life. Since the
cell is the structural unit of life, biochemistry is the science that has something to do with
the chemical constituents of living cells and the reactions and processes. Thus,
biochemistry covers large areas of cell biology, molecular biology, and molecular
genetics.
Moreover, it seeks to describe the structure, organization, and functions of living
matter in molecular terms. It had its origins as a distinct field of study in the early
nineteenth century, with the pioneering work of Friedrich Wöhler. He proved that an
organic compound could produce an organic compound. On the other hand, the term
biochemistry was introduced by Carl Alexander Neuberg in 1930. He was known as
the father of modern biochemistry.
Biochemistry is a research discipline, but the results of biochemical research are
used extensively in the world outside the laboratory --- in agriculture,
medical sciences, nutrition, and many other fields. In clinical chemistry, biochemical
measurements on people help diagnose illnesses and monitor responses to treatment.
The physicians must know biochemistry and biochemical tests to diagnose the disease
and for treating patients. The pharmacologist must know the body's chemistry since
drugs involve some alteration in the body's biochemical reactions. Microbiologists and

Author Prof. Alma D. Politano Bulacan State University


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pathologists are concerned with chemical changes produced in various diseases.


Microbiologists are also concerned with vaccines, sera, antitoxins, and the like.
Biochemistry is involved in understanding the actions of herbicides and
pesticides, increasing their selectivity, and understanding and dealing with mechanisms
by which target organisms become resistant to them. Finally, through gene engineering
and cloning, remarkable progress in agriculture is expected soon. Already, genetically
engineered plants are in production, and whole-animal cloning has been successful with
creatures as large as sheep.
Scope of Biochemistry
The branch focuses on studying organisms' cells, thereby understanding their
structures and various interactions. It is the study of the internal structures and
interactions of various macromolecules like carbohydrates, protein, lipids, nucleic acids,
organelles present in the body of organisms. It focuses on investigating the chemical
reactions involved in different life processes like metabolism, reproduction, heredity,
growth.
Branches of Biochemistry
A. Molecular Biology

 This scientific discipline attempts to study and analyze the processes in living
organisms from a molecular level.
 The branch is often considered as the ‘root of biochemistry’.
 The branch aims to study and investigate in detail the biochemical, metabolic
cycles in living beings, the integration-disintegration of molecules, thereby
understanding the functions of the living systems.
 The field focuses on analyzing the behavior, interactions of biological
macromolecules like DNA, RNA, Proteins, enzymes, hormones, etc., and their
synthesis within the cells, thereby explaining the biological living functions of
organisms at the molecular level.

B. Cell Biology

 The branch deals with the structure and functions of cells in living organisms. The
cell biology branch of biochemistry is also called Cytology.

Author Prof. Alma D. Politano Bulacan State University


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 An area that focuses on studying the morphology and psychology of eukaryotes


and prokaryotes at the cellular level.
 The study reveals the properties, functions, structure, biochemical composition,
the lifecycle of cells in organisms.
 Cell biology is essential to understand the intrinsic cellular processes that cells
carry out during their life cycle, like respiration, nutrition, cell division, synthesis of
compounds, defense mechanisms, cell death, etc.
 The branch is closely associated with fields like physiology, histology, and
microbiology.

C. Genetics

 Genetics, an important branch of biochemistry focuses on the study of genes,


their mutations/variations, and the characteristics of heredity in living organisms.
 Here, the structure, function, variation, and distribution of genes are studied
within the context of the cell, the organism, and the population.
 Genetics is a broad field, having several subfields like molecular genetics,
population genetics, and epigenetics.
 Molecular genetics and genetic engineering are fields under biochemistry and
molecular biology that study genes, heritage, and expressions.

Author Prof. Alma D. Politano Bulacan State University

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