C3181 Biochemistry I

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2026
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (fasci plus compl plus > 4). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Jan Lochman, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Jan Lochman, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry – Chemistry Section – Faculty of Science
Supplier department: Department of Biochemistry – Chemistry Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Tue 9:00–10:50 B11/205
Prerequisites
C1601 General and Inorganic Chemistry || C1020 General Chemistry
Basic knowledge of organic and general chemistry, biology
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Abstract
The course covers the basic fields of biochemistry from the chemical point of view. Most important properties and structure of natural substances(aminoacids and proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) are described here. The general description of chemical reactions in the cell includes enzymes and coenzymes, their properties and structure, active site, thermodynamics, enzyme kinetics, inhibition, allostery and regulation of enzyme acitivity. Special chapters describe most important metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids with emphasis on energetic features of metabolism.
The goal of this course in to equip students with the basic knowledge about chemical principles of metabolism.
Learning outcomes
The goal of this course in to equip students with the basic knowledge about chemical principles of metabolism of saccharides and lipids, cellular bioenergetics, structure and function of proteins and enzyme catalysis.
Key topics

1. The Foundations of Biochemistry
  1.1. Evolutionary Foundations
  1.2. Cellular Foundations
  1.3. Chemical Foundations
  1.4. Physical Foundations
2. Water, the Solvent of Life
  2.1. Weak Interactions in Aqueous Systems
  2.2. Ionization of Water, Weak Acids, and Weak Bases
  2.3. Buffering against pH Changes in Biological Systems
3. Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins
  3.1. Amino Acids
  3.2. Peptides and Proteins
  3.3. Working with Proteins
  3.4. The Structure of Proteins: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and  Quaternary Structures
  3.7. Protein Denaturation and Folding
  3.8. Determination of Protein and Biomolecular Structures
4. Protein Function
  4.1. Reversible Binding of a Protein to a Ligand: Oxygen-Binding Proteins
  4.2. Complementary Interactions between Proteins and Ligands: The Immune System and Immunoglobulins
  4.3. Protein Interactions Modulated by Chemical Energy: Actin, Myosin, and  Molecular Motors
5. Enzymes
  5.1. An Introduction to Enzymes
  5.2. How Enzymes Work
  5.3. Enzyme Kinetics as an Approach to Understanding Mechanism
  5.4. Examples of Enzymatic Reactions
  5.5. Regulatory Enzymes
6. Carbohydrates and Glycobiology
  6.1. Monosaccharides and Disaccharides
  6.2. Polysaccharides
  6.3. Glycoconjugates: Proteoglycans, Glycoproteins, and Glycolipids
  6.4. Carbohydrates as Informational Molecules: The Sugar Code
  6.5. Working with Carbohydrates
7. Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids
  7.1. Nucleic Acid Structure
  7.2. Nucleic Acid Chemistry
  7.3. Other Functions of Nucleotides
8. Genes and chromosomes
  8.1. Chromosomal Elements
  8.2. DNA Supercoiling
  8.3. The Structure of Chromosomes
  8.4. DNA-Based Information Technologies
  8.5. Studying Genes and Their Products
9. DNA and RNA metabolism
  9.1. DNA Replication
  9.2. RNA Metabolism
  9.3. DNA-Dependent Synthesis of RNA
  9.4. RNA Processing
  9.5. Catalytic RNAs and the RNA World Hypothesis
10. Protein Metabolism
  10.1. The Genetic Code
  10.2. Protein Synthesis
  10.3. Protein Targeting and Degradation
11. Lipids
  11.1. Storage Lipids
  11.2. Structural Lipids in Membranes
  11.3. Lipids as Signals, Cofactors, and Pigments
  11.4. Working with Lipids

Study resources and literature
    recommended literature
  • NELSON, David L.; Michael M. COX and Aaron A. HOSKINS. Lehninger Principles of biochemistry. Eighth edition. New York: Macmillan international, higher education, 2021, 1 svazek. ISBN 9781319381493. info
  • KOOLMAN, Jan and Klaus-Heinrich RÖHM. Barevný atlas biochemie. Grada. Praha, 2012, 498 pp. ISBN 978-80-247-2977-0. info
  • VOET, Donald; Judith G. VOET and Charlotte W. PRATT. Voet's principles of biochemistry. Global edition. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons, 2016, xvi, 1098. ISBN 9781119451662. info
    not specified
  • Vodážka - Biochemie
  • Voet, Voetová - Biochemie; Zubay, Parson, Vance - Principles of Biochemistry
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Theoretical instruction in the form of lectures incorporating active learning elements.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
A written test consisting of a combination of multiple-choice and open-ended questions, possibly followed by an oral exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Teacher's information
Znalosti o základní struktuře a vlastnostech složek živé hmoty, umět se orientovat ve vzorcích sloučenin, základní výpočty z termodynamiky a enzymologie. Zkouška je písemná.
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: Předmět se ukončuje prezenčně písemnou zkouškou, alternativně ve zdůvodněných případech distanční ústní zkouškou.
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
Listed among prerequisites of other courses

Zobrazit další předměty

The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 1999, Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024, Autumn 2025.
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