Biochemestry

General aims of the course: (1) To introduce  students to the molecular design of life, including structural and biological properties of the main constituents of organisms; (2) To describe the molecular basis of the main biological processes, with particular emphasis on the metabolic fate of the lipidic, proteic and glicidic components of food; (3) To detail molecular basis of energy production from the main food components under aerobic and anaerobic conditions; (4) To introduce students to the main molecular biology mechanisms, including DNA replication, RNA and protein synthesis; (5) To detail the structure-function relationship in proteins; (6) To describe the biological roles of vitamins.

1- Knowledge and understanding. The course is aimed at providing information concerning (a) the structure and function of the most relevant biomolecules, including macromolecules, with particular emphasis on proteins (b) the main biological processes operating in animal cells, including the biological fate of the main components of nutrients, mechanisms of energy production and storage, molecular mechanisms of metabolic control and signal transduction and (c) expression of genetic information.
2-Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. At the end of the course the student must be able to distinguish the main metabolic effects of the proteic, lipidic and glicidic components of food, with particular emphashis on their relative role in energy production and storage under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Such information is of the utmost importance to understand the metabolic/dismetabolic, physiological/pathological and nutritional processes described in later courses related to animal productions.