BIOCHEM 2EE3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Hydrophile, Phospholipid, Carboxylic Acid
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Module 1
Origins
• Dates back to ancient Egyptian times and the making of wine
• Egyptians were one of the first biochemists of our time.
Definition of Biochemistry
• Biochemistry is a set of tools, or technical skills, that lend themselves to many diverse scientific
fields, most of which are related to the study of biomedical research: i.e. diseases, biomarkers,
biotechnology, etc.
1.5 Primordial Universe
• Predominated by He and H
• Today dominated by C, H, N, O, P & S
1.6 Human Body Elements
• Main element of body - hydrogen followed by oxygen and carbon.
• Main element of Earth Crust’s – Silicon, Aluminum
1.8 Periodic Table: From a Biochemists Perspective
• An element is a basic substance that cannot be broken down into anything more basic
1.10 Carbon-based Biological Macromolecules
• To survive, we need our body to make our building blocks – called macromolecules, which are
made up of other smaller subunits of simple organic molecules.
• Chains are made when combinations of subunits undergo a linkage step called a condensation
reaction, which involves the removal of a water molecule.
• 3 essential macromolecules – Nucleic Acid, Proteins and Carbohydrates
1.11 Nucleic Acids
• DNA and RNA
• Basic structure - A ribose sugar, phosphate at 5’ carbon and 1’ carbon has ¼ nitrogenous
bases
• Difference – At the 2’ location - DNA has a hydrogen and RNA a -OH group attached. Also, for
the bases, RNA does not use Thymine, but instead uses Uracil
1.13 Proteins
• Made up of amino acids (20 different kinds)
• Backbone of each amino acid is an amino group and a carboxyl group. The R group denotes
Document Summary
Origins: dates back to ancient egyptian times and the making of wine, egyptians were one of the first biochemists of our time. Definition of biochemistry: biochemistry is a set of tools, or technical skills, that lend themselves to many diverse scientific fields, most of which are related to the study of biomedical research: i. e. diseases, biomarkers, biotechnology, etc. 1. 5 primordial universe: predominated by he and h, today dominated by c, h, n, o, p & s. 1. 6 human body elements: main element of body - hydrogen followed by oxygen and carbon, main element of earth crust"s silicon, aluminum. 1. 8 periodic table: from a biochemists perspective: an element is a basic substance that cannot be broken down into anything more basic. Also, for the bases, rna does not use thymine, but instead uses uracil. 1. 13 proteins: made up of amino acids (20 different kinds, backbone of each amino acid is an amino group and a carboxyl group.