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Biochemistry

Definition:
Bio (Life) + Chemistry

The science concerned with the chemical basis of life

Cell is the structural unit of the living systems 


Science concerned with the chemical constituents of the living cells and with
the reactions and processes they undergo

Objective:
Complete understanding of all of the chemical processes associated with
living cells at the molecular level.
The principal methods and preparations used in biochemical laboratories
Distinguishing features of living organisms:

A high degree of chemical complexity and microscopic organization

Systems for extracting, transforming, and using energy from the environment

A capacity for precise self-replication and self-assembly

Mechanisms for sensing and responding to alterations in their surroundings

Defined functions for each of their components and regulated interactions among
them

A history of evolutionary change


Green Man example:
Green Man’s list Farmer’s list

Item Living Non-Living


Radio Fly Radio
Fly
Tree Automobile
Automobile
Mule Robot
Tree
Mule Baby Crystal
Robot Mushroom Moon
Baby
Amoeba Computer
Crystal
Moon Coral Paper

Mushroom
Amoeba
Computer
Paper
Coral
Question:
What discriminates the living from the non-living?
In other words:
What is the quality (or qualities) that is present in the Living list but is not and cannot be
present in the non-living list?

farmer gm
Movement and Growth Tree and Coral

farmer gm
Reaction to stimuli Mushroom and Tree

farmer gm
Uptake food and production of energy and Car and Robot
converting to action

farmer gm
Reproduction Mule and baby

farmer gm
Activity that regenerates their own components Yes, this is the quality!

Definition of life:
A system can be said to be living if it is able to transform external matter/energy into
an internal process of self-maintenance and production of its own components.
Origin of life:
Theories for the origin of life:

a) Greek philosophers
b) Creationism
c) Spontaneous generation

d) Cosmic pansperima and the life cloud

e) Chemical evolution
Chemical Evolution:
How did the first living organisms acquire their characteristic organic
building blocks?
Miller’s experiments:

a) Alexander Oparin’s theory

The primitive atmosphere was a


reducing atmosphere rich in methane,
ammonia, and water and devoid of oxygen

Order of events: Cells first, Enzymes


second, and genes third

Yield
Prebiotic synthesis of adenine Prebiotic synthesis of pyrimidines of nucleic
acids:

Prebiotic synthesis of sugars:


b) Manfred Eigen’s theory:
‘RNA world’ theory
Genes first, Enzymes second, and Cells third

Reasons for the popularity of Eigen’s


theory:
The experiments of Eigen and Orgel
use RNA as the working material and
made it plausible that the replication of
RNA was the fundamental process
around which the rest of biology
developed

The experiments of Cech showed that


RNA could act as an efficient catalyst
in the absence of protein enzymes

The discovery of the double helix


showed that genes are structurally
simpler than enzymes
A possible ‘RNA World’ scenario
Distinct domains of life:
Classification of organisms according to their source of energy and carbon:
Evolution of life on earth:
Evolution of eukaryotes through endosymbiosis:

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