Biological Chemistry II

Code:

MV127

Acronym:

QBII

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Basic Sciences

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S (of 17-02-2025 to 13-06-2025)

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	100	Official Study Plan	1	-	5	70	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

1. To rationalize living systems in terms of basic Chemistry principles. To present Biological Chemistry as a mere subset of Chemistry.

2. To correlate knowledge from Organic and Inorganic Chemistry with Biological Chemistry.

3. To aquire specific knowledge about biological molecules and and cellular chemistry organization.

Learning outcomes and competences

1. Knowledge of the biologically important carbon compounds reactions and their mechanisms. Basic organic chemistry problem solving.

2. Structural knowledge of the most important types of biological molecules.

3. Understanding of the importance of molecular recognition, intermolecular interaction and the hydrophobic effect in biological chemistry.

4. Ability to explain the function and action mechanism of biological compounds based on its molecular structure and reactivity, namely enzymes' catalysis, kinetics and regulation.

5. Understanding of the main metabolism global organization, namely the integration of anabolism and catabolism made by NAD (and FAD) and ATP (and other NTPs).

Working method

Presencial

Program

Theoretical

1. Nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions. SN1 and SN2 reactions. Reactive Intermediates in Organic Chehemistry: free radicals, carbocations, carbanions. Electrophiles and Nucleophiles. Homolysis and heterolysis of covalent bonds. SN1 and SN2 reactions. E1 and E2 reactions.

2. Benzenoid aromatic compounds. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and heterocyclic aromatic compounds.

3. Alcohols and phenols: Physical and chemical properties of alcohols and phenols.

4. Aldehydes and ketones. The carbobyl group. Nucleophilic addition and condensation.

5. Carbohydrates-monosacharides. Glycosidic linkage. Oligosacharides and polysacharides.

6. Carboxylic acids and derivatives - Acidity. Nucleophilic substitution.

7. Lipids - The hydrophobic effect. Fatty acids, acylglycerides, phosphoglycerides and sphingolipids. Terpenoids, steroids and icosanoids.

8. Amines - Basicity. Characteristic reactions. Alkaloids and biogenic amines.

9. Proteins - Aminoacids. Peptidic bond. Structure and conformation. Biological functions.

10. Nucleic acids - Nucleotides. DNA and RNA.

11. Basic aspects of primary metabolism organization and energetics.

12. Enzymes - Molecular rcognition. Mechanisms, kinetics and regulation of enzymatic catalysis. Coenzymes and cofactors.

Laboratorial

1. Identification of carbohydrates.

2. Solutions preparation.

3. Spectrophotometric measure of human serum total colesterol.

4. Denaturation and spectrophotometry of DNA.

5. Invertase kinetics

Mandatory literature

T.W. GRAHAM SOLOMONS and CRAIG B. FRYHLE; Organic Chemistry, 10th Edition, John Wiley & Son, Inc, 2011
José Augusto Pereira; Apontamentos de Química Biológica, ICBAS, 2014
K. Peter, C, Vollhardt, Neil E. Schore;Organic Chemistry Structure and Function, W. H. Freeman and Company, New York, 2003. ISBN: 4th Edition

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes, using Powerpoint presentations. Theoretical-practical classes of problem solving and matters related with laboratorial works. Laboratorial classes where the students work in groups of up to 3, following a written protocol.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	70,00
Teste	20,00
Trabalho laboratorial	10,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	65,00
Frequência das aulas	70,00
Total:	135,00

Eligibility for exams

1. First-year students and students that did not achieve minimal attendance in previous years.

• Admission to the final exams requires attendance of a minimum of 3/4 of the planned practical classes [PL (Laboratory classes) + TP (Theoretical-practical classes)];

• Approval on the distributed evaluations: classification greater or equal to 3,0 [Distributed evaluation classification (DEC) = 6,0]

Each student will have to:

• Carry out at least 3/4 of the planned TP mini-evaluations;


• Carry out at least 3/4 of the planned PL mini-evaluations;


• Answer questions posed by the teacher(s) in PT and PL classes.

At the end of the course unit, these assignments will be assessed and the final average obtained will correspond to the Distributed evaluation classification (DEC). This classification will be published before the Examination and will be part of the Final Grade.

Calculation formula of final grade

The Final Exam (FE) is composed of multiple-choice questions as well as questions requiring written answers. Two mutually exclusive options are available:

Option 1: Examination divided into A1 (20 values, Intermediate Assessment 1) and A2 (20 values, Normal Exam Period):

EN = 1/2 A1 + 1/2 A2

Option 2: Final Exam (includes all subjects taught)

EN = 20 points

A.    Students enrolled for the first time in the Curricular Unit

The final grade (F) will be the sum of the Final Examination Grade (EN) and the Distributed evaluation classification (DEC), according to the formula:

F = 0.7 EN + DEC

EN ≥ 9,5 for final approval

B. Students with previous years minimal attendance and Worker-students

EN  ≥ 9,5 for final approval