Introduction to Biochemistry

Nirmal Baral MD
Biomedical Sciences

Biochemistry
Study of chemical basis of life
Study chemical process at molecular
level.

The science concerned with

-chemical constituents of living cells and
-undergoing reactions and processes

Essential to all life sciences

Biochemistry of nucleic acids- Genetics
Study of body functions- Physiology
Drugs metabolism Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Actions of poisons on biochemical reactions -Toxicology
Study of diseases- inflammation, cell injury, cancerPathology
Biochemical techniques/ approaches - Immunology
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 Knowledge of Biochemistry is essential

Understanding causes of diseases at molecular level:,
Understanding mechanism of development of diseases in
human system Diagnosis, prevention and treatment:
Inborn errors of metabolism: Garrods tetrad:
Aalkaptonuria, albinism, csystinuria and pentosuria.
Homeostasis- e.g. glucose, calcium etc
Metabolism and its regulation
Biochemistry & the Genomic Revolution: Human Genome
Sequence

How does biochemistry impact you?

Medicine
Agriculture
Industrial applications
Environmental applications

Principle Areas of Biochemistry

Structure and function of biological
macromolecules
Metabolism anabolic and catabolic processes.
Molecular Genetics How life is replicated.
Regulation of protein
synthesis
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Biomolecules in living organisms- few examples

Biochemistry is greatly influencing medicine

We know the molecular basis of many
genetic and other diseases
New clinical diagnostics
Rational design of new drugs
Relationship between Biochemistry and
Medicine: Two way street
Proteins --Kwashiorkar, Sickle cell anemia
Lipids
--Ahterosclerosis
Carbohydrates-Diabetes mellitus
Nucleic acid----Genetic diseases
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Normal Biochemical processes are basis of life

Health definition By WHO
Biochemical point of viewAll the diseases have biochemical basis
(abnormalities of molecules, chemical reactions
and biochemical process)
Health not only requires wide knowledge of
biochemical process
Role of Psychological and social principles
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EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH USED IN BIOCHEMISTRY

1. ISOLATION OF BIOMOLECULEI.
II.
III.
IV.
V.

SALT FRACTIONATION
CHROMATOGRAPHY
GEL FILTRATION
ELECTROPHORESIS
ULTRACENTRIFUGATION

2. DETERMINATION OF STRUCTURE OF BIOMOLECULE

ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS
UV, VISIBLE, IR & NMR SPECTROSCOPY
ENZYMATIC DEGRADATION OF BIOMOLECULE UNDER STUDY
SEQUENCING METHODS
X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHY

3. Studying Biochemical process: Whole cell, animal study,

isolated organelles, isolated genes
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MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN BIOCHEMISTRY

1. DETERMINATION OF STRUCTURES OF BIOMOLECULES
2. ELUCIDATION OF FUNCTION OF MANY BIOMOLECULES
3. ISOLATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FUNCTIONS OF
MAJOR INTRACELLULAR ORGANELLES
4. ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF ENZYMES
AND RIBOZYMES
5. DELINEATION OF METABOLIC PATHWAYS AND THEIR
FUNCTIONS
6. DETERMINATION OF MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF
METABOLIC REGULATION
7. MEMBRANE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
8. MECHANISM OF HORMONE ACTION
9. RECOMBINANAT DNA TECHNOLOGY
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10.INSIGHTS INTO MOLECULAR BASIS OF MANY DISEASES

History of Biochemistry
Biochemistry is a fairly new field of science,
developed largely in the 20th century
1. First landmark - Wohler's synthesis of the organic
compound urea from the inorganic precursor
ammonium cyanate
3. Buchner showed that a process of biochemistry,
catalysis, could also occur independently from living
cells (enzymes in yeast extracts and fermentation)
4. Fischer did analysis of enzymes (hydrolysis of
sucrose) and developed the lock and key model
Its modified version - induced fit
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5. The DNA Breakthrough

landmark in biochemistry took place in the 1940's
and 1950's, involving DNA:
Avery et al. showed that DNA is the genetic
material that determines the traits
(phenotype) of organisms
In1953, Watson and Crick made their famous
discovery of the double helical structure of DNA
Crick's Central Dogma: DNA -> RNA -> Protein

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Impact of Human Genome project on

Biochemistry and medicine

Sequencing of human genome in 1990

July 2000 ( 90% of genome sequenced)
Draft version published in 2001
Sequence of entire human genome2003( after 50 years of description of Watson
and Crick model of DNA)
Tracking disease genes
Major effects on proteomics, bioinformatics,
biotechnology, pharmacogenomics
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Thank you

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