Unit-1

Introduction to biochemistry
As the name indicates, biochemistry is a hybrid science : bio+chemistry
Biology is the science of living organisms and chemistry is the science
of atoms and molecules,
so biochemistry is the science of the atoms and molecules in living
organisms. Its domain encompasses all the living world with the
unifying interest in the chemical structures and reactions that occur in
living systems

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 Definition and scope of biochemistry
 Biochemistry is the chemistry of life.
 Biochemistry is a basic science which deals with chemical nature and
chemical behavior of living matter.
 Biochemistry deals with the chemical combinations and reactions that takes
place because of the biological processes such as growth, reproduction,
metabolism, heredity, etc.
 It is a special branch of organic chemistry that deals with matter inside the
living cell.
 is the study of chemical composition of living matter , and of the chemical
changes that occur in it during life process.
 The knowledge of biochemistry can be applied to solve problems in
medicine ,dentistry, agriculture, forensics ,anthropology ,environmental
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science etc…
 Scope of biochemistry
 It deals with nature of chemical substance present in the living system,
the chemical transformations taking place there in and energetic changes
taking place in the body due these transformations. simply, it deals with
chemical nature, structure and functions of biological molecules.
Biochemistry involves the study of:-
1. Chemical constituents of living matter
2. Chemical changes which occur in the organism during digestion, absorption
and excretion
3. Chemical changes which occur during growth and multiplication of the
organism.
4. Transformation of one form of chemical constituents to the other.

5. Energy changes involved in such transformations.

 . The various bio molecules are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic
acids etc. Any imbalance or abnormality in the level of chemical
constituents present or chemical transformation taking place in the body
leads to a diseased state of the body. So, the knowledge of biochemistry is
applied in the diagnosis and treatment
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of the diseases 3
 Scope of biochemistry
 Biochemistry is the Chemistry of living organisms.

 It deals with nature of chemical substance present in the living system,

the chemical transformations taking place there in and energetic changes
taking place in the body due these transformations.

 it deals with chemical nature, structure and functions of biomolecules.

 Biochemistry involves the study of:-

 Chemical constituents of living matter.

 Chemical changes which occur in the organism during digestion,

absorption and excretion.

 Chemical changes which occur during growth and multiplication of the

organism.
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•
 Why study biochemistry?
 - Lead us to fundamental understanding of life processes
 - Understand important issues in medicine, health, and nutrition
 Has led to greater molecular understanding of diseases, such as diabetes,
sickle cell anemia, and cystic fibrosis.
 Understand the structure of matter found in the human body and the
chemical changes that occur in cells
 The best reason for studying Biochemistry is that it is the study of
ourselves and our chemical relationship with the environment.
 It is being closely related to medicine, agriculture and other applied
sciences, is potentially well placed to make a social contribution.
 Biochemistry is a valuable subject in medicine without which there
would have been no such advancement in the field.

 Physiology: Biochemistry helps one understand the biochemical changes

and related physiological alteration in the body.
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 Relevance of biochemistry
 Pathology: Pathology of any disease is studied through
biochemical changes.
 Based on the symptoms described by the patient,
physician can get clue on the biochemical change and
the associated disorder.
 For example if a patient complains about stiffness in
small joints, then physician may predict it to be gout and
get confirmed by evaluating uric acid levels in the blood.
As uric acid accumulation in blood results in gout.

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 Relevance cont…
 Nutrition deficiency: The function and role of vitamins in body is described by
biochemistry.
 Hormonal deficiency: There are many disorders due to hormonal imbalance in
especially women and children. The formation, role of hormones in the normal
body function is taught in biochemistry by which the physician can understand
the concerned problem during treatment.
 Kidney function test: For example in kidney disorders, chemotherapy
treatment, urine test help understand the extent of excretion of drugs
or other metabolites, the change in pH, the colour of urine etc.
 Blood test: In diabetes, biochemical analytical test for blood glucose level
helps one understand the severity of diabetes disorder.
 Liver function tests helps understand the type of disease or damage to liver, the
effect of any medication on liver etc.

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 Relevance conti…
 Nutrition deficiency: The function and role of vitamins in body is described by
biochemistry.
 Hormonal deficiency: There are many disorders due to hormonal imbalance in
especially women and children. The formation, role of hormones in the normal
body function is taught in biochemistry by which the physician can understand
the concerned problem during treatment.
 Kidney function test: For example in kidney disorders, chemotherapy treatment,
urine test help understand the extent of excretion of drugs or other metabolites,
the change in pH, the colour of urine etc.
 Blood test: In diabetes, biochemical analytical test for blood glucose level
helps one understand the severity of diabetes disorder.
 Liver function tests helps understand the type of disease or damage to liver, the
effect of any medication on liver etc.

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 Chemical composition of the cell
 Chemical compounds in the cell can be divided into two major group
Inorganic compounds
 Chemical compounds that do not contain carbon and hydrogen
 Usually a smaller and simpler than organic compounds
 Founds in cells , acids, alkalis and mineral salts.
 Common inorganic substances: Water, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Inorganic salts
 Inorganic compounds are dissolvable in water
organic compounds
 are :molecules containing carbon and hydrogen .
 Are found in living system
 Some are containing nitrogen &phosphorus
 Carbon pairs with hydrogen oxygen.
 Usually consist of macromolecules (polymers).
 There are 4 main group of organic compounds in living cells:
 These are carbohydrates, protein, lipids and nucleic acids

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 Chemical composition conti…
 Carbohydrates are composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen
 are our primary energy source ready for use . Carbohydrates are classified by
size: monosaccharide's (single sugars) and disaccharides (double sugars).:
polysaccharides.
 Polysaccharides are built from many simple carbohydrates
 Lipids are organic chemicals that are insoluble in water but are soluble in organic
solvents, e.g. ether and chloroform.
 Are greasy or oily hydrocarbon derivatives, serve as structural components of
membranes, energy-rich fuel stores, pigments, and intracellular signals.
 Includes fats, phospholipids, and steroids. are our primary source of energy
storage
 Proteins are made up of amino acids and have many uses such as structural
materials, or transporters that carry specific substances into or out of cells.,
energy sources, hormones, Some have catalytic activity and function as enzymes;
others serve as signal receptors , and even antibodies.
 Proteins have four levels of structure: Primary, Second, Tertiary, and Quaternary,
constitute the largest fraction of cells.
 Proteins consist of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen as well as Nitrogen and
sometimes Sulfur atoms.
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 Chemical composition conti…
 Nucleic acids form genes; they are very large and complex.
 They contain atoms of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen,
Nitrogen, and Phosphorous;
 Nucleic Acids are building blocks of nucleotides
 Each nucleotide consist of a 5-carbon sugar (ribose or
deoxyribose) a phosphate group, and one of several organic
bases; these nucleotides link together in a chain to form a
polynucleotide
 are our source of genetic materials (RNA and DNA)
 They store and transmit genetic information, and some
RNA molecules have structural and catalytic roles in supra
molecular complexes.
 RNA is used in protein synthesis DNA is used to store code
for genes.
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 Biochemical Reactions
 A biochemical reaction is the transformation of one molecule to a different molecule
inside a cell.
 All the chemical reaction taking place inside a cell is called metabolism.
 Metabolism: total sum of the chemical reaction happening in a living organism (highly
coordinated and purposeful activity) it consists of energy consuming(anabolic)pathway
and energy producing (catabolic)pathways
a. Anabolism- energy requiring biosynthetic pathways, reductive reaction.
b. Catabolism- degradation of fuel molecules and the production of energy for cellular
function, oxidative reaction.
 All reactions are catalyzed by enzymes
• The primary functions of metabolism are:
a. To obtain chemical energy from the degradation of energy rich molecules.
b. Synthesis of molecules needed for cell structure and functioning (i.e. proteins, nucleic
acids, lipids, & CHO).
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 Biomolecules – Structure
Anabolic
Building block Macromolecule
 Polysaccharide Simple sugar
 Protein (peptide) Amino acid
 RNA or DNA Nucleotide
 Lipid Fatty acid

Catabolic

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 Cell
• All living things are made of cells.
• Cells are the basic unit of structure and
function in an organism (basic unit of life)
• Cells come from the reproduction of existing
cells (cell division)
• Cytology- study of cells

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