Biochemistry II
Undergraduate · Chemistry
Syllabus focus
Standard syllabus · STEM / applied
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Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Nucleic acid structure and function
- Nucleotide structure: bases, sugars, phosphates
- DNA double helix: Watson–Crick base pairing
- RNA types: mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, and noncoding RNA
- Chromatin structure and histone modifications (intro)
- DNA replication: semiconservative model and enzymes
- DNA repair mechanisms: mismatch, excision, double-strand break
- Telomeres and telomerase
- Supercoiling and topoisomerases
- Restriction enzymes and molecular cloning overview
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) principles
Gene expression and regulation
- Transcription in prokaryotes: promoters and sigma factors
- Eukaryotic transcription: RNA polymerases and general factors
- mRNA processing: capping, splicing, polyadenylation
- Genetic code and codon–anticodon recognition
- Translation: ribosome structure and tRNA charging
- Post-translational modification and protein targeting
- Operon model: lac and trp operons
- Eukaryotic gene regulation: enhancers, silencers, transcription factors
- Epigenetics: DNA methylation and histone acetylation (intro)
- RNA interference and microRNAs (overview)
Signal transduction and hormones
- Receptor types: GPCRs, receptor tyrosine kinases, nuclear receptors
- Second messengers: cAMP, cGMP, Ca²⁺, IP₃, DAG
- G-protein signaling cascades
- Insulin and glucagon signaling in glucose homeostasis
- Adrenaline and fight-or-flight metabolic responses
- Cell cycle regulation and cyclin–CDK complexes
- Apoptosis: intrinsic and extrinsic pathways (intro)
- Cancer biochemistry: oncogenes and tumor suppressors (overview)
- Integrating hormonal control with metabolic pathways
- Membrane transport: channels, pumps, and carriers
Integrated metabolism
- Glycogen metabolism: synthesis and degradation
- Fatty acid synthesis and β-oxidation
- Ketone body formation and utilization
- Amino acid metabolism: transamination and deamination
- Urea cycle and nitrogen disposal
- One-carbon metabolism and folate cycle
- Nucleotide biosynthesis: purine and pyrimidine pathways
- Heme synthesis and degradation (overview)
- Metabolic integration during fasting and fed states
- Organ-specific metabolism: liver, muscle, brain, adipose
STEM / applied
Laboratory techniques in molecular biochemistry
- Nucleic acid extraction and quantification
- Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA
- Restriction digest and ligation workflows
- Protein–nucleic acid interaction assays (EMSA intro)
- ELISA and immunoassays
- Cell culture basics for biochemical assays
- Spectroscopic assays for metabolites
- Enzyme-linked assays in clinical diagnostics
- Bioinformatics tools: BLAST, sequence alignment (intro)
- Writing research-style lab reports
Applied and clinical biochemistry
- Inborn errors of metabolism case studies
- Pharmacogenomics and drug metabolism enzymes
- Diagnostic enzymes: CK, ALT, AST in clinical labs
- Nutritional biochemistry: obesity and metabolic syndrome
- Exercise biochemistry: lactate threshold and fuel selection
- Fermentation and industrial microbiology (biochemical view)
- Vaccine development and antibody biochemistry
- Gene therapy and CRISPR therapeutics (overview)
- Environmental toxins and xenobiotic metabolism
- Career paths in biotechnology and clinical labs
Notes
Builds on Biochemistry I. Topics reflect common second-semester biochemistry syllabi at US colleges and universities. Molecular biology techniques may be integrated depending on department structure.