Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Metabolism and Regulation

Code

8791

Academic unit

Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Department

Departamento de Química

Credits

6.0

Teacher in charge

Carlos Alberto Gomes Salgueiro, Maria Alice Santos Pereira

Weekly hours

Total hours

Teaching language

Português

Objectives

In this course students will acquire basic knowledge inBiochemistry with particular emphasis onmetabolic processes, their regulation and integration.Themes that exemplify the importance of this knowledge in Medicine, including case studies of metabolic diseases, are also addressed in the form of seminars or team work. With such approach, students will study and go deeper into specific topics of the course, using not only text books but also related scientific publications. Thus they will develop their communication skills, with oral presentations, contributing to the continuous assessment of knowledge.

As in other coureses, laboratory classes focus relevant aspects of the theory and compel the student to work in group.

Prerequisites

In order to attend and to acquire the necessary knowledge, students should have enrolled the introductory course Biochemistry.

Subject matter

Introduction. Basic concepts of Metabolism. Principles of metabolic regulation
Mechanisms of signal transduction and chemical communication between cells.
Revision of the Central Metabolism – Glycolysis, Gluconeogenesis and their Reciprocal Regulation. The Cori cycle. The citric acid cycle. The glyoxylate cycle. Oxidative phosphorylation.
The Calvin Cycle and the Pentose Phosphate Pathway. Activity of the Calvin Cycle and its dependence on environmental conditions. The CAM metabolism. The Pentose Phosphate Pathway and its coordination with Glycolysis.
Glycogen Metabolism. Glycogen breakdown and synthesis and their reciprocal regulation. The regulation of phosphorylase and its regulation by allosteric interactions and reversible phosphorylation.
Lipid Metabolism. Oxidation and biosynthesis of fatty acids. Ketone bodies. Regulation. The Control of Fatty Acid Metabolism and key regulation by acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase.
Metabolism of amino acids. Amino acids oxidation and production of urea. Biosynthesis of amino acids and molecules derived from amino acids.
Nucleotide Metabolism. De novo biosynthesis and degradation of nucleotides.
Integration and metabolic regulation. Summary of the main metabolic pathways and the main strategies for energy conservation. Integration of the metabolic pathways and organ specialization. Hormonal regulation and integration of mammalian metabolism

Bibliography

LEHNINGER PRINCIPLES OF BIOCHEMISTRY
Nelson, D.L., & Cox, M.M.
W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, 5th ed. 2008

PRINCIPLES OF BIOCHEMISTRY
Voet, D., Voet, J.G. & Pratt, C.W.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 3rd ed. 2008

BIOCHEMISTRY
Lubert Stryer
W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco. 6th Ed. 2007

FUNCTIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
Newsholme, E., Leech, T.
Wiley-Blackell, 1st ed. 2009 (ISBN 978-0-471-93165-2)

REGULAÇÃO METABÓLICA. UMA PERSPECTIVA FOCADA NO ORGANISMO HUMANO
Keith N. Frayn
Porto Editora, 1ª edição, 2009

Teaching method

Teaching involves:

Lectures taught using a "data-show", accompanied by supplementary bibliography previously available on the course page in CLIP. In the first class of the semester all information about the curricular unit will be presented. Evaluation will be discussed as well.

Problem-solving sessions, putting in practice the theoretical concepts acquired throughout the different classes.
Laboratory sessions with groups of four students ( 4 sessions), where students conduct experimental work following laboratory protocols previously distributed to all students.

All the information about the course is accessible through the dedicated web page on CLIP platform. In this site all pdfs files of the lectures presentations, laboratory protocols and exercises will be available.

Courses

Biochemistry