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 ;).

(This image is a free document license)

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.

Find an Interesting Biochemistry website and put its link in this entry, then describe briefly what is found there.

http://www.asbmb.org/

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The purpose of this website, which caught my interest the most, is that it is a non profit organization with the PRIMARY PURPOSE of advancing biochemistry and molecular biology.
The A.S.B.M.B do these advancing through publications of journals, conferences, journals, and symposiums which are all listed on the website. From this website you can actually watch streaming videos of these scientist, read journal articles, find research, read reviews, and so much more. The organization was founded in 1906 and have grown to have over 12,000 members now, each playing a role in the part of advancing science.

What Knowledge have you connected with past knowledge? (Open ended)

I feel like biochemistry has connected well with many of the sciences courses I have taken. In pursuing a future in microbiology I have already learned so much about lipids, amino acids, and cellular metabolism (glycolysis, electron transport chain, Krebs cycle). These all connect to life in ways which are much more related then just a person to person basis.
Although we discussed these topics in classes such as microbiology, biology, anatomy and physiology I & II, which is why I can tell you the cycle front to back. I believe these classes gave me the back bone to be able to learn the in depth, detailed, step by step method in to which the cell is able to work and survive.

Describe the protein IAG2 causing the disease Scarpie; What real world applications does it have?

Protein IAG2

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I found an interest in the protein IAG2, commonly called

scrapie, which is a neuro-degenerative disease found in sheep. This is closely related "mad cow disease" as well as many other similar diseases including human infecting ones.

Structurally the infecting prion, which is mutant PrPsc (Prion protein) has several differences that set it apart from its non mutant form. This infecting form contains a large amount of Beta pleated sheets, unlike the non mutant form which contains a high number of Alpha helix. The mutant form also contains amyloid fibers, unlike the non mutant strain, this aids in it virulence. The most complex part of the change between them is that these mutant forms interact between protein molecules. This leads to the actual spongiform or plaques of the disease. These holes formed in the brain cause altered mental status, ataxia, convulsions, and death.

No Cure has been found to treat scrapie but scientist have made some progress with computer simulations, and injections with mice. This infection is passed by the digestion of an infected organism, or a bi product of the organism. It can also infect by something as simple as a cut.

(ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Here is a picture the non mutant to mutant form:

What is biochemistry and how does it differ from the fields of genetics, biology, and molecular bilogy?

Biochemistry is mediated as the study of chemical processes with in a living organism. In biochemistry we deal with more of a cellular based structure of learning. With in our Biochemistry class, we have already discussed amino acids, proteins, enzymes (and their mechanisms), lipids, as well as future studies in cellular respiration (glycolysis, citric acid cycle, electron transport chain), metabolism and even transcription/translation in genetics.

Biochemistry is different from the field of genetics, biology, chemistry and molecular biology by the fact that it is dealing with these chemical processes, not the physical. It does touch (some what) in each subject lightly but stays with in a set bracket of guidelines. This is because all science is connected.