Reflecting back on the course:three major themes..

Reflecting back on the course, what are three major themes you would identify that connect the various topics discussed in this course – how are they connected to more than one topic, and how do they connect with what you knew before this course? What knowledge have you gained with regards to these three themes you have identified?


Well to reflect all the way back from the start of the class to now I would have to say the three of the major topics would have to be Glycolysis, transcription/translation, and cellular metabolism. I would say that they have connected with many things i have learned with Micro but more importantly they have taught me much that I didn't know.

Glycolysis: I have learned about the differences in prok./and Eukaryote and the main differences between them.
Transcription/translation: I learned between this and genetics more than I ever wanted to know ;) Between the elongation sites, to splicing factors, etc.
Cellular metabolism: I learned a lot about how it deals with cells in depth and really goes with in a layer i wasn't aware of.

Explain the connection between glucose entering the body and energy created by the body to a friend, using your new biochemistry knowledge.

Glucose enters the cell by way of glycolysis, which can have many other indirect pathways. It is a way for a cell to recieve an abundant amount of energy.

“Glycolysis is a definite sequence of ten reactions involving ten intermediate compounds (one of the steps involves two intermediates). The intermediates provide entry points to glycolysis. For example, most monosaccharides, such as fructose, glucose, and galactose, can be converted to one of these intermediates of energy. The intermediates may also be directly useful. For example, the intermediate dihydroxyacetone phosphate is a source of the glycerol that combines with fatty acids to form fat.”

The metabolic pathway that converts glucose, C6H12O6, into pyruvate, CH3COCOO− + H+


Romano AH, Conway T. (1996) Evolution of carbohydrate metabolic pathways. Res Microbiol. 147(6-7):448-55 PMID 9084754

What knowledge have you connected with past knowledge?

WoW- what have I learned, What a great a great question.





Learning most of this in Micro-Bio in great detail I was really able to connect it to what we learned. I was having a hard time with a lot of the the general overview this class gave being the detail we had already knew, but at the same time who wants to responsible for knowing more on a test ;).

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I enjoyed expanding the knowledge as well, I learned a bit more TATA boxes, and Beta/alpha subunits then I ever dreamed possible. I am hoping that i can take these and apply them in my future studies.