Academics Course

Course Details

1 Title of the course
(L-T-P-C)		 Biomolecules
(2-1-0-6)
2 Pre-requisite courses(s) -
3 Course content Major classes of biological molecules: Comparison of the alphabets and sources of structural diversity of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids.

Proteins : Ramachandran plot, evolution of protein structure, structure-function relationships: myoglobin and adaptions in myoglobin structure in deep diving mammals; allostery in hemoglobin; Bohr effect (for pH and carbon dioxide); adult and foetal hemoglobin. Post-translational modifications: special types of covalent bonds found in proteins. Protein folding: Natively folded and natively disordered proteins; miniproteins and peptine toxins; Anfinsen's observations, Levinthal paradox, cooperatively in protein folding; free energy landscape of protein folding and pathways of protein folding, molten globule state, diseases associated with protein folding.

Carbohydrates: Sources of structural diversity; structure-function relationship in glycogen and celllose, Difficulty associated with sequencing of glycans.

Lipids : Structure and properties of storage and membrane lipids. Self-assembly of lipids:packing parameter; Biomembrane organization-sidedness and function; membrane bound proteins - structure, properties and function; transport phenomena.

Nucleic acids : Historical perspective leading up to the proposition of DNA double helical structure of RNA; chromatin organization.

Enzymes: General principles of catalysis; quantitation of enzyme activity and efficiency; Henri-Michaelis-Menten and Briggs-Haldane relationships; Transition state: definition Pauling's intuition and proposal, catalytic antibodies; Catalytic strategies; Isozymes : Haldane relationship between kinetic constants and equilibrium constant; Zymogens.

Bioenergetics: basic principles; equilibria and concept of free energy; coupled interconnecting reactions in metabolism; oxidation of carbon fuels; recurring motifs in metabolism. Relevant metabolic pathways may be included to discuss relevant concepts.
4 Texts/References
  1. Rodney F Boyer, Concepts in Biochemistry. John Wiley & Sons; 3rd Ed (2 December 2005).
  2. Thomas Miilar, Biochemistry Explained: A Practical Guide to Learning Biochemistry CRC Press; 1 edition (30 May 2002)
  3. Lubert Stryer et al., Biochemistry.W. H. Freeman; 6th Edition edition (14 July 2006)
  4. David L Nelson, and Michael M Cox et al., Lehninger principles of biochemistry WH Freeman; 7th ed. 2017 edition (1 January 2017)

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