University of Iowa
Department of Biochemistry
4-403 BSB
Iowa City, IA 52242-1109 USA phone: 877-846-8569
or 319-335-7932
fax: (319) 335-9570
biochem@uiowa.edu

Department of Biochemistry

99:110 Biochemistry

Instructor: Alice Fulton, 4-506 BSB, 335-7891; alice-fulton@uiowa.edu
Time & Location: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 3:30P - 4:20P, 1110A MERF
Hrs: 3 s.h.
Description: This is a one-semester course that surveys the basic concepts in modern biochemistry and molecular biology. The objective is to provide an understanding of life processes in molecular terms. Prerequisites: two semesters each of college biology and chemistry. Corequisites: two semesters of organic chemistry.

Syllabus, spring semester, 2008

Text: Essential Biochemistry, Pratt and Cornely. John Wiley and Sons, 2004.
Supplemental Resources: Biochemistry, 5th edition. Berg, Tymoczko, and Stryer. W.H. Freeman and Company, 2002.

Course Schedule:
Week 1: Class organization and the chemical basis of life
Week 2: Aqueous chemistry; from genes to proteins
Week 3: Myoglobin and hemoglobin: a study of protein structure and function; Cytoskeletal and motor proteins
Week 4: Chymotrypsin: a model enzyme; FIRST EXAM
Week 5: Enzyme kinetics and inhibition; Biological membranes
Week 6: Overview of mammalian metabolism and free energy; Glucose metabolism
Week 7: The citric acid cycle
Week 8: SECOND EXAM; Oxidative phosphorylation
Week 9: Spring break
Week 10: Photosynthesis; Lipid metabolism
Week 11: Nitrogen metabolism
Week 12: Regulation of mammalian fuel metabolism; THIRD EXAM
Week 13: DNA replication; Cancer and DNA repair
Week 14: Transcription and RNA
Week 15: Protein synthesis; FOURTH EXAM
Week 16: Review and integration
Week 17: FINAL EXAM