Basic Biochemistry

Ammo acids are organic compounds containing both an amino group (— NH2) and a carboxyl group (—COOH). Those occurring in proteins are called a-amino acids and have the empirical formula RCH(NH2)COOH. As shown below, the core of an a-amino acid is the carbon atom next to the carboxylic acid group. 

With the exception of glycine, all amino acids are asymmetrical, having a hydrogen atom, a carboxyl group, an amino group, and a distinctive R group of a specific chemical structure. 

Amino Acids Found in Most Proteins Hydrophobic Amino Acids Nortpolar R Groups 

Important constituent of connective tissue proteins (e.g., collagen and elastm) .some hydroxylated to Hyp during collagen synthesis destabilizes a-hehcal and -structures contains an a-unino group 

Essential metabolites found in carcinoid contains indole- ring system of serotonin and melatonin  

---

It would not be too far fetched to state that life on this planet is totally dependent on two compounds based on the purine nucleus. Two of the bases crucial to the function of DNA and flNA—guanine and adenine—are in fact substituted purines. It is thus paradoxical that the lead for the development of medicinal agents based on this nucleus actually came from observations of the biologic activity of plant alkaloids containing that heterocyclic system, rather than from basic biochemistry. 

Schoenfeld-Tacher, R., Persichitte, K. A., Jones, L. L. (2001). Relation of student characteristics to learning of basic biochemistry concepts from a multimedia goal-based scenario. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 440 875). 

The energy provision by carbohydrate metabolism has been extensively studied Ihm the beginning of this century, chiefly in an attempt to understand the basic biochemistry of alcohol production from carbohydrafe. However, many laboratory culture media contain only nitrogenous compounds and their metabolism is of importance as it clearly provides energy for growth and maintenance. 

If we consider the animals as gutless tubeworms that live at highly sul-fidic hydrothermal vents (discussed, for example, in Vetter et al. 1991), then we see that there are many forms that depend upon sulfide and we are faced with the question did they invent this basic biochemistry to handle sulfide de novo or is it a holdover from earlier times ... 

This review does not focus on the former topic, though detection of the individual enzymes involved in each pathway through biosynthesis related research provides the prerequisites for understanding the basic biochemistry of biosynthetic routes, ultimately delivering the tools for genetic and synthetic application of these... 

Many illustrations in this volume have been taken from previous editions of Basic Biochemistry, many others are reproduced with permission from the primary biochemical hterature, review articles, and speciahzed monographs, and still others have been drawn for this text. Those reproduced from the primary or secondary research hterature should provide a hnk between the students in the classroom and the world of research scientists. 

Finally, we would like to pay homage to our predecessors and thank them for the leadership and inspiration they have provided to the biochemical profession. We fondly remember the late Dr. Stephen B. Binkley, a colleague and an author of the first three editions of Basic Biochemistry. 

As one can see the question posed by the title can be answered at several levels. Pursuit of the question leads into the basic biochemistry and physiology of the insect and reveals fundamental facets of the transport of vital hydrophobic materials throughout the insect system. An understanding of the structure and functions of the lipoprotein transport vehicle may lead to a better understanding of normal physiology, as well as the mechanism for distribution of hydrophobic xenobiotics. 

RNA synthesis, or transcription, is the process of transcribing DNA nucleotide sequence information into RNA sequence information. RNA synthesis is catalyzed by a large enzyme called RNA polymerase. The basic biochemistry of RNA synthesis is common to prokaryotes and eukaryotes, although its regulation is more complex in eukaryotes. The close connection between prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription has been beautifully illustrated by the recently determined three-dimensional structures of representative RNA polymerases from prokaryotes and eukaryotes (Figure 28.1). Despite substantial differences in size and number of polypeptide subunits, the overall structures of these enzymes are quite similar, revealing a common evolutionary origin. 

In this chapter, the early work on methane fermentation, the basic biochemistry and microbiology of the organisms involved, how the process is performed, some of the advancements that have improved the process, and the status of efforts to expand commercial use are discussed. The microbial generation of hydrogen and the factors that have limited its use are also discussed. 

This section begins with a general discussion of the basic biochemistry of peptides and proteins followed by discus-... 

In this section, we summarize the basic biochemistry, clinical significance, and analytical considerations of the measurement of hsCRP. Additional information is presented in Chapter 20. 

---