Biological Chemistry I

Code:

MV117

Acronym:

QBI

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Basic Sciences

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S (of 16-09-2024 to 10-01-2025)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Chemistry
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	107	Official Study Plan	1	-	6	70	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

It is intended that the student learns to use the basic principles of Chemistry to understand the importance of essential chemical elements in the perspective of their biogeochemical cycles and to be able to interpret the biochemical processes in a structural and reactional perspective.

It is intended that the student is able to handle tools that allow him to interpret qualitatively and quantitatively the mechanisms through which energy flows in a living cell.

It is intended that the student integrates the knowledge of the various areas of Chemistry to interpret Biological Chemistry.

Learning outcomes and competences

The student should be able to visualize life processes in an integrated way, from a molecular and cellular perspective.

The student should be able to understand the concepts of intra and intermolecular chemical bonding. Also, should be able to use concepts of thermodynamics and chemical kinetics to analyze biochemical processes from a structural and reactional perspective


The student should be able to identify the role of essential chemical elements in Life.

Working method

Presencial

Program

Syllabus

1. Atomic and molecular structure 
Concepts and models of chemical bonding.

2. Stereochemistry – Isomerism and stereoisomerism definition. Biological examples.  Chirality and its biological importance. Enantiomers and Diastereoisomers. Newmann, Fischer, Wedge-and-Dash representations. Absolute Configuration: the R/S system. Optical activity. Racemic mixture. Meso compounds. The D and L System in carbohydrates and amino acids. Geometric isomerism: Cis/trans and E/Z isomers. Conformational analysis: Staggered and eclipsed conformations in alicyclic and cyclic compounds. Biological examples. Configurational Stereoisomery in cyclic compounds. Biological examples.

3. Bioenergetics
Energy and Life: sources and transformation of energy. The Chemical Elements of Life.
First Principle of Thermodynamics Internal Energy and Enthalpy of Reaction
Second and Third Principles of Thermodynamics. Entropy and Gibbs Function Molar Gibbs function: the chemical potential. Chemical equilibrium, application to Bronsted acid-base reactions. Energetics of oxidation-reduction reactions. Transport energetics across membranes.

4. Chemical Kinetics.
Reaction speed concepts. Integrated speed laws. Kinetic models of chemical reaction. Activation energy and transition state concept. Reactional energy profiles.

5 - Reactivity – Reactivity: kinetic and thermodynamic principles. Potential energy diagram. Cleavage of chemical bonds and enthalpy change. Theory of collisions. Free Energy Variation. Intermediaries and transition states. Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curves. Electronic availability. Inductive and mesomeric effects and their influence in reactivity. Dipolar moment. Biological examples. Acidity and basicity of organic compounds: inductive, mesomeric and size effects. Stability and reactivity of phosphoanhydride bond: ATP, phosphoenolpyruvate, 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. Reaction Mechanism. Type of reactions. Homolytic and heterolytic reactions and their Intermediates: nucleophiles, electrophiles and free radicals. Examples of biological and non-biological homolytic processes.

6 - Saturated and Insaturated hydrocarbons. Alkanes and alkenes: physical properties. Structure, bond type and bond energy in alkenes. Representative biological examples. Catalytic hydrogenation. Biological example. Relative stability. Electrophilic addition to alkenes: general mechanism. Energy Diagram. Electrophilic addition of hydrogen halides to alkenes. Markovnikov rule. Carbocation stability: hyperconjugation and resonance. Hydration of alkenes. Biological example. Addition to conjugated dienes. Addition of halogens. Halohydrins formation. Reaction with peroxyacids. Epoxides hydration. Some biological examples.Formation of glycols.

7. Bioinorganics 
Transition metal ions in biological systems: properties and regulation.

8. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration chemistry.

Mandatory literature

P. W. Atkins and Julio de Paula; Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences 2nd Edition, W H Freeman & Co, 2011
D. L. Nelson and M.M.Cox; Principles of Biochemistry 6th Edition, Freeman, New York, 2013
T.W. GRAHAM SOLOMONS and CRAIG B. FRYHLE; Organic Chemistry 10th Edition, John Wiley & Son, 2011
Raymond Chang; Physical Chemistry for the Biosciences, University Science Books, Sausalito, 2005

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes delivered with the support of illustrative presentations of the subject. Theoretical-practical classes for solving exercises and discussion of theoretical aspects related to practical classes.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	92,00
Frequência das aulas	70,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

According to the regulations of the University of Porto.

Calculation formula of final grade

Students can choose to be evaluated only in the final exam or through an alternative evaluation scheme comprising two partial tests (A1 and A2).

In the alternative evaluation scheme, students perform a partial evaluation test whose classification will be called A1. Continuing in this scheme, students will take a second test during the Normal exam period, whose classification is called A2. The set of these 2 tests is equivalent to the exam carried out in the Normal season. There is no minimum score on either the A1 or A2 exams.





Final classification, F, allowed options:



1. By examination divided into assessments A1 and A2:

F = (A1 + A2) / 2



2. By final exam, E1:

F = E1



In the Appeal proof there is only one exam with all the subjects taught.

Classification improvement

According to the regulations of the University of Porto.