Biochemistry

Code:

MV212

Acronym:

BQ

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Basic Sciences

Instance: 2021/2022 - 1S (of 20-09-2021 to 14-01-2022)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Molecular Biology
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Masters Degree in Veterinary Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIMV	71	Official Study Plan	2	-	5	56	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Cellular metabolism is an integrated set of chemical reactions that aims to produce energy and uses it to synthesize the building blocks for protein, lipid and carbohydrate production. The Biochemistry subject aims at studying the cellular metabolism and the molecular mechanisms underlying its regulation, as well as the signal transduction pathways used to receive, process, amplify and integrate extracellular signals.

Learning outcomes and competences

The student must be able to recognize and explain the function of metabolic pathways, relate digestion and the production and storage of energy with food composition, relate the mechanisms of metabolic regulation by hormones, retro-inhibition and other mechanisms with energy and metabolites requirements, recognize and explain the molecular bases of defense mechanisms, including glucose and lipid homeostasis and function of antioxidants, relate the metabolic pathways with the molecular bases, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and actively participate in the cooperative resolution of problems.

Working method

Presencial

Program

Theoretical classes: Carbohydrate metabolism – Glycolysis and its regulation. The 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate shunt. Lactic acid fermentation. The glycerol-phosphate shuttle and the malate-aspartate shuttle. Glycogen metabolism and gluconeogenesis. The pentose-phosphate pathway. Hormonal regulation: the molecular mechanism of action of insulin, glucagon and epinephrine. Insulin-dependent and –independent Diabetes Mellitus. Insulinoma. Metabolism of galactose, fructose and ethanol. Bioenergetics – the complex pyruvate dehydrogenase and the Krebs cycle. Allosteric regulation and hormonal regulation. Oxidative phosphorylation. Inhibitors and uncouplers. Oxidative stress - Reactive oxygen species and oxidative damages. Primary and secondary antioxidant defences. Natural antioxidants. Atherosclerosis. Ischemia-reperfusion syndrome. Ageing. Lipid metabolism – Digestion and absorption of lipids. Lipolysis and beta-oxidation of fatty acids. Synthesis and energetic role of ketone bodies. Synthesis of fatty acids. Biosynthesis of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. Biosynthesis of cholesterol. Lipoproteins. Hypercholesteremia. Primary and secondary bile acids.Vitamin D. Steroid hormones. Integration of lipid metabolism. Aminoacid metabolism – Aminotransferases and glutamate dehydrogenase. Biosynthesis of non-essential aminoacids. Catabolism of aminoacids. The urea cycle and its regulation. Ammonia toxicity. Conversion of aminoacids to specialized products – creatine and phosphocreatine, glutathione, melanine, hormones, neurotransmitters, nitric oxide and Heme. Porphyria and jaundice. Nucleotide metabolism – Synthesis of purines and pyrimidines. Inhibitors of nucleotide biosynthesis. Catabolism of purines and pyrimidines. Gout. Tumors and chemotherapy. Cancer cachexia. Integration of metabolism – metabolic adaptations to starvation. Diabetes Mellitus. Metabolic adaptations to exercise. Obesity.

Theoretical-practical: Pyruvate kinase deficiency and hemolytic anemia. Phosphofrutokinase 1 deficiency and physical exercise intolerance. Frutose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency, hypoglycemia and metabolic acidosis. Ethylene glycol toxicity: treatment with ethylic alcohol and hypoglycemia. Glycogen storage diseases. Diabetes mellitus. Coronary heart disease: regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase, Krebs cycle and glycogenolysis. Uncouplers of the oxidative phosphorylation and death. Hemolytic anemia induced by drugs: role of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and the glutathione-glutathione peroxidase system. Carnitine deficiency, hypoglycemia and absence of ketone bodies. The deficiency in MCAD, hypoglycemia and absence of ketone bodies. Ethanol, fatty liver and ketoacidosis. Propionyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency, acidosis and production of fatty acids with odd number of carbons. The deficiency in vitamin B12, methylmalonic acidosis and anemia. Zellweger syndrome: oxidation of very long chain fatty acids and peroxissomes. Diabetes mellitus: hyperlipidemia. Aflotoxicosis: fatty liver and edema. Acid lipase deficiency and hepatosplenomegaly. Argininosuccinate synthase deficiency: hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy. Leptospira infection, and hepatic and renal dysfunction. Tirosinemia type I. Hepatic porphyria induced by lead. Orotate phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency. Ornitine transcarbamoilase deficiency and orotic aciduria. The deficiency in uric acid transporter and gout: treatment with allopurinol.

Mandatory literature

Thomas M. Devlin; Textbook of Biochemistry With Clinical Correlations, Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , 2010. ISBN: 978-0-470-28173-4
Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko, Lubert Stryer; Biochemistry, W. H. Freeman, 2011. ISBN: 978-1429276351
David L. Nelson, Michael M. Cox; Lehninger principles of biochemistry, W.H. Freeman, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-7167-7108-1

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures and Problem based learning.

keywords

Physical sciences > Chemistry > Biochemistry
Physical sciences > Chemistry > Biochemistry > Metabolism

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	75,00
Participação presencial	25,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	79,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	135,00

Eligibility for exams

According to the rules of the University of Porto: presence in 3/4 of the theoretical-practical classrooms.

Minimum grade in the theoretical-practical evaluation: 9,5 values. The theoretical-practical evaluation will include the presentation and discussion of problems/clinical cases (12,5% of final grade) and 4 minitests (12,5% of final grade).

Minimum grade in the theoretical evaluation (exam or mean of 2 tests): 9.5 values. Students are exempt from the final exam ONLY if they obtain a grade higher than 7 points in each of two tests.

Calculation formula of final grade

Theoretical-practical evaluation (25%) + mean of two tests (75%)

or            

Theoretical-practical evaluation (25%) + final exam (75%)

Examinations or Special Assignments

No

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Special evaluation will be provided to all students with a special status, in a date agreed with the Chair.

Classification improvement

After the completion of the course unit, students can improve their grades. However, they can only improve the grade of the final exam and not the other components (continuous assessment).