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    Biochemistry

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    lmcristina5
    The document provides an overview of a biochemistry lecture. It discusses key differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells like their sizes and presence of organelles. It also emphasizes relating in vitro studies back to what occurs inside living cells and considering kinetic and thermodynamic properties of interactions.

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    Biochemistry

    Uploaded by

    lmcristina5
    88 views2 pages
    The document provides an overview of a biochemistry lecture. It discusses key differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells like their sizes and presence of organelles. It also emphasizes relating in vitro studies back to what occurs inside living cells and considering kinetic and thermodynamic properties of interactions.

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    biochemistry

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    biochemistry

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    The document provides an overview of a biochemistry lecture. It discusses key differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells like their sizes and presence of organelles. It also emphasizes relating in vitro studies back to what occurs inside living cells and considering kinetic and thermodynamic properties of interactions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    88 views2 pages

    Biochemistry

    Uploaded by

    lmcristina5
    The document provides an overview of a biochemistry lecture. It discusses key differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells like their sizes and presence of organelles. It also emphasizes relating in vitro studies back to what occurs inside living cells and considering kinetic and thermodynamic properties of interactions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Lecture #1

    Administrative notes:
    No required textbook, readings will come from the primary literature
    Exams will be held Wednesday evenings from 7-9pm.
    Material from Techniques and Discussion sections will be covered on exams.

    Biochemistry inspires SHOCK and AWE!


    Lecture 1
    2/4/04
    What is inside the cell?
    - What are the concentrations of proteins and small molecules?
    - What are the differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?
    - How does studying something in vitro relate to reality inside a cell?
    We need to know the sizes of cells and their constituents in order to understand the
    jungle of metabolism. How do these intracellular activities influence metabolic
    pathways and regulatory mechanisms by altering the thermodynamic and kinetic
    properties of macromolecular interactions?
    Definition of BIOCHEMISTRY:
    Understand in molecular detail (quantitatively) the function of some cellular machinery
    in vitro (under controlled conditions) AND to relate this information to what occurs in
    reality inside a living cell.
    KEY: Take in vitro information and relate it back to in situ
    Example: A Nobel Prize was awarded for the discovery of a DNA polymerase enzyme.
    However, further studies revealed that in vitro, the rate of polymerization with this
    enzyme was too slow to account for the doubling time of cells. This incongruence has at
    least two possible explanations:
    1. they hadnt actually discovered the right enzyme and 2. the activity of the enzyme
    changed when studied outside the cell- perhaps interactions with other factors inside the
    cell, increased the rate inside the cell
    In this case, the first explanation was correct, they had actually discovered a DNA repair
    enzyme, not the actual polymerase.
    MORAL: always relate work back to cellular reality. Ask whether in vitro studies make
    sense within the context of the living cell.
    Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes
    Can we use the simpler prokaryotic system as a paradigm for thinking about machines in
    more complex eukaryotes? We think, Yes!

    But, keep in mind basic differences, especially SIZES and TIMES.

    Prokaryotes

    versus

    Eukaryotes

    Inner membrane, cell wall,


    Outer membrane

    Plasma membrane (no wall)

    Smaller 1-2 m (E. coli)


    (Implications for metabolism?)

    10-100 m much larger

    No organelles

    Organelles- Cellular machinery in


    discrete compartments

    Circular DNA

    Nucleosomes- Protein/DNA
    complex, histones

    Maybe?? Some cytoskeleton

    Larger surface to volume ratio therefore


    nutrients can enter cells rapidly
    Think about oxygen

    Cytoskeleton- (Microtubules, actin,


    intermediate filaments)
    Much smaller surface to volume
    ratio and therefore mechanisms
    other than free diffusion required
    for nutrient movement within cell

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