KE7001 Biochemistry Lectures

Basic principles of biochemistry

Reading material: Stryer, Chapter 1-2

Abstract: Biochemistry is concerned with the chemical reactions behind biological processes. The type of questions biochemistry asks and tries to answer are e.g.
· What are the chemical events leading to this biological process?
· What molecules are involved?
· How do these molecules interact with each other?
· How tight do they interact?
· How fast do they interact?
· Is the process spontaneous or does it require energy ?
· How much energy is released or consumed in the process?

During the biochemistry course we will try to give you some of the tools and background needed to ask these types of questions. This lecture will cover some of the basic principles of biochemistry. We will also recapitulate some basic chemistry essential for the understanding of biochemical processes.

All life on earth is thought to have evolved from a common ancestor. This is reflected in the common set of metabolic routes that is used by all organisms to combine a few simple elements (mainly carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen) into all the wonderful and amazing creatures that inhabit the world. In carrying out their common metabolic tasks, all cells use the same underlying set of working principles. We will look at some of the most general principles that cells use to get on with life.

Cellular processes to a large extent depend on weak (non-covalent) interactions in an aqueous environment. The properties of water, and its influence on non-covalent interactions will be reviewed in the context of a living cell. We will also recapitulate the basic chemical concepts of equilibrium, free energy, pH, and redox processes.

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