Course Contents

THEORY 1. Metabolism: detailed description of glycolysis and catabolism of any other hexose; regulation and bioenergetics of glycolysis. Anabolic role of glycolysis; fate of pyruvate under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, lactate, acetyl CoA and ethanol formation; alcoholic fermentation; gluconeogenesis, its regulation and significance in the tissues; utilization of other carbohydrates in glycolysis; phosphorolysis of glycogen and starch; regulation of glycogen metabolism; utilization of dietary polysaccharides (starch) and disaccharides (sucrose and galactose). Biosynthesis of glycogen, starch and sucrose. 2. Citric acid (TCA) cycle: conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA, pyruvate dehydrogenase, a multi-enzyme complex; detailed description of citric acid cycle; bioenergetics and conservation of energy produced in the cycle. Anabolic or biosynthetic role of citric acid cycle intermediates; replenishing or anaplerotic reactions and their role; regulation of citric acid cycle. 3. Electron Transport and Oxidative phosphorylation Components of electron transport chain. Role and structure of ATP-synthase. Oxidative phosphorylation. Substrate level phosphorylation. The glycerol phosphate shuttle mechanism and malate-aspartate shuttle system. 4. Lipid metabolism: oxidation of fatty acids; digestion, mobilization and transport of fats; biosynthesis of triacylglycerol; activation of fatty acids and their transportation to mitochondria; betaoxidation; bioenergetics of beta-oxidation; omega oxidation pathway; biosynthesis of saturated fatty acid, supply of raw material for palmitic acid synthesis; fatty acid synthetase (FAS) multienzyme complex. Ketone bodies their biosynthesis, utilization and role in the tissues; cholesterol metabolism: cholesterol biosynthesis and its regulation; steroid hormones. 5. Nitrogen metabolism: metabolic fate of amino acids; catabolism of amino acids; deamination and transamination; nitrogen excretion and urea cycle; regulation of urea cycle; Biosynthesis of any one amino acid from the family; incorporation of ammonia in glutamate and glutamine; purine and pyrimidine: basic synthesis reactions only.

Course Learning Outcomes

The course will provide in-depth knowledge about the polymerized organic compounds of life. The dynamism of the life proceeds with interconversion of the chemicals from feeding to the liberation of energy for work. It will deal with the inter-conversion is performed by various tools called as enzymes. Thus, in this course the concepts of the chemical basis of life and all the mechanisms involved in harvesting of energy for growth, duplication etc.,