Cell Biochemistry
Overview
- Water
- Chemical properties of water
- Acid-base concepts
- The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation
- Protein structure
- Amino acids, peptides, and proteins
- Titration curves of amino acids and peptides
- Protein structure
- Peptide sequencing
- Electrophoresis
- Protein function
- Structure, function, and behaviour of myoglobin and hemoglobin
- The effect of metabolites on hemoglobin function
- Hemoglobin variants
- Enzyme kinetics
- Enzymes as biological catalysts
- Reaction rates
- Specific catalytic groups and their contribution to catalysis
- The Michaelis-Menten equation
- Lineweaver-Burk plots
- Reaction velocities and substrate concentrations using Vmax and Km
- Reversible and irreversible inhibition
- Factors affecting enzyme activity
- Allosteric enzymes
- Bioenergetics
- The laws of thermodynamics
- Standard and actual free-energy change
- Equilibrium constants
- Coupled reactions
- Phosphate group transfers and ATP
- Metabolism
- Glycolysis
- The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle or Krebs Cycle
- Oxidative phosphorylation
- Mitochondrial shuttle systems
- Gluconeogenesis
- Glycogen metabolism - glycogen synthesis and glycogenolysis
- Lipid metabolism - beta-oxidation and fatty acid synthesis
- Amino acids and protein metabolism
- The effects of hormones on metabolism
- Integration of metabolism
This course involves lectures and in-class activities, such as selecting problems from the textbook to solve collectively.
Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:
Quizzes and/or assignments | 10-25% |
Term project | 10-15% |
Term examination(s) | 20-50% |
Final examination | 30-40% |
Total | 100% |
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the chemistry of water;
- Describe the properties of acids, bases, and buffers;
- Describe the structure and acid-base properties of amino acids;
- Describe the structure of peptides and proteins, and explain how their structure relates to function;
- Explain how protein sequence is determined;
- Describe allosteric proteins and explain their importance to biochemical regulation;
- Describe the structure, function, and behaviour of hemoglobin and myoglobin;
- Apply the principles of enzyme kinetics to give a quantitative description of the activity and behaviour of enzymes;
- Explain basic bioenergetic principles as they relate to metabolism in the cell;
- Describe the structure and function of carbohydrates and lipids;
- Explain the processes of glycolysis, Krebs cycle, electron transport, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis;
- Describe the process of gluconeogenesis;
- Describe glycogen synthesis and glycogenolysis;
- Discuss the role of hormones in the regulation of cellular metabolism;
- Describe lipid and nitrogen metabolism;
- Discuss how catabolic and anabolic pathways integrate in human metabolism.
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:
Nelson and Cox. Current Edition. Lehninger – Principles of Biochemistry. New York: Worth Publishers.
Requisites
Course Guidelines
Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.
Course Transfers to Other Institutions
Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.
Institution | Transfer details for BIOL 2421 |
---|---|
Alexander College (ALEX) | ALEX BIOL 2XX (3) |
Camosun College (CAMO) | CAMO CHEM 255 (3) |
Capilano University (CAPU) | CAPU CHEM 215 (3) |
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) | KPU BIOL 2XXX (3) |
Langara College (LANG) | LANG BIOL 2315 (3) |
Okanagan College (OC) | OC BIOL 220 (3) |
Simon Fraser University (SFU) | SFU MBB 201 (3) |
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) | TRU BIOL 2XXX (3) |
Trinity Western University (TWU) | TWU BIOL 2XX (3) |
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) | UBCO BIOL_O 2nd (3) |
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) | UBCV BIOL_V 201 (3) |
University of Northern BC (UNBC) | UNBC CHEM 204 (3) |
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) | UFV BIO 2XX (3) |
University of Victoria (UVIC) | UVIC BIOC 299 (1.5) |
Vancouver Island University (VIU) | VIU BIOL 201 (3) |
Course Offerings
Fall 2025
CRN | Days | Instructor | Status | More details |
---|---|---|---|---|
CRN
35618
|
Tue Thu | Instructor last name
Lee
Instructor first name
Weissy
|
Course status
Open
|