ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 27 Interactive Classroom: 21 Total: 51
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Areas: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Center Faculty of Biology
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
- Identify the central routes of metabolism and its regulation in different organisms.
- Learn to integrate the different metabolic pathways in the context of the whole of the body.
- Apply knowledge about the metabolism of the genetic information.
- Apply knowledge about the synthesis mechanism of proteins and their post-biosynthesis evolution.
- Identify the relevance of energy and material balances of metabolic pathways.
- Learn design functional modifications of metabolic pathways biotechnological purposes.
• EXPOSITORY CLASSES (THEORY PROGRAM, 28H)
Protein Synthesis*
Lesson 1. Translation of the genetic message and post-biosynthesis evolution of proteins (3h).
Aerobic and bioenergetic intermediary metabolism pathways and bioenergetics
Lesson 2. Metabolic fuels and acetyl-CoA oxidation: Cycle of citric acid cycle (2h).
Lesson 3. Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation (3h).
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Lesson 4. Catabolism of carbohydrates. Glycolysis (2.5h).
Lesson 5. Gluconeogenesis and the pentose phosphate pathway (2h).
Lesson 6. Glycogen metabolism (1.5 h).
Lipid Metabolism
Lesson 7. Catabolism of lipids. Fatty acid oxidation and metabolism of ketone bodies (2.5h).
Lesson 8. Biosynthesis and regulation of fatty acids metabolism (1.5h).
Lesson 9. Biosynthesis of glycerides and sphingolipids (1.5h).
Lesson 10. Terpenes and steroids metabolism (1.5h).
Metabolism of amino acids and nucleotides
Lesson 11. Degradation of proteins and catabolism of amino acids (2h).
Lesson 12. Biosynthesis of amino acids and related metabolites (2h).
Lesson 13. Metabolism of nucleotide (1.5h).
Integration and interrelationships in metabolic pathways
Lesson 14. Integration and coordination of metabolic processes (1.5h).
*Except for the topic dedicated to protein synthesis, and those dedicated to nucleic acids and their metabolism (DNA structures in chromatin and chromosomes, RNAs and gene expression and its regulation, as well as replication processes, transcription, repair, and recombination) will be explained in the subjects of Genetics I and II.
In the subject of Plant Physiology, photosynthesis, photosynthetic electron transport and photophosphorylation and carbohydrate biosynthesis in plant cells are explained. And, in Microbiology I, the subject related to the cycle and nitrogen fixation is explained.
• INTERACTIVE CLASSES (SEMINARS, 15h)
The objective is to reinforce and review key concepts and, also, to raise and resolve issues from the syllabus in a participatory (see evaluation system).
• INTERACTIVE CLASSES (LABORATORY, 6h)
In two 3-hour sessions, purification and enzymatic analysis and a study of alcoholic fermentation will be carried out (practices 1 and 2).
• TUTORIAL CLASSES (2h)
Consultation and clarification or resolution of doubts.
• Exam and exam review (3h)
Basic Bibliography
- Berg, J.M., Tymoczko, J.L., Gatto, G.J.Jr & Stryer, L. 2019. Biochemistry. Nine ed. New York.
W.H. Freeman and Compnay.
- Garret, R.H. & Grisham, C.M., 2024. Biochemistry. 7th ed. Cengage Learning Inc.
- McKee, T., y McKee, J.R., 2020. Bioquímica. Las bases moleculares de la vida. 7ª ed. México:
McGraw-Hill/Interamericana Editores. Disponible “on line”:
https://accessmedicina-mhmedical-com.ezbusc.usc.gal/book.aspx?bookid=29…
- Mathews, C., Van Holde, K.E., Appling, D.R. & Anthony-Cahill, S.J., 2013. Bioquímica. 4ª ed.
Madrid: Pearson.
- Nelson, D.L. & Cox, M.M., 2021. Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. 8ª ed. New York:
Macmillan International.
- Voet, D., Voet, J.G. & Pratt, Ch., 2016. Fundamentos de Bioquímica. 4ª ed. Buenos Aires:
Editorial Médica Panamericana.
Complementary Bibliography
- Alberts, B. et al., 2022. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 7th ed. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, New York.
- Bhagavan, N.V., Chung Eun-Ha. 2015. Essentials of Biochemistry. With Clinical classes.
2nd edition. Academic Press. Disponible “on line”:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780124166875/essentials-of-medical-…
- Meissenberg, G., Simmons, W.H. 2018. Principios de Bioquímica Médica. 4ª edición.
Elsevier España, S.L.U. Disponible “on line”:
https://www.clinicalkey.com/student/content/toc/3-s2.0-C20170026563
- Rodwell, V.W., Bender, D.A., Botham, K.M., Kennelly, P.J. y Weil, P.A., 2018. Harper Bioquímica ilustrada.
31ª ed. México: McGraw-Hill/Interamericana.
Disponible “on line”:
https://accessmedicina-mhmedical-com.ezbusc.usc.gal/Book.aspx?bookid=27…
LIST OF LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge/contents: Con02
Skills/ablilities: HD01, HD03, HD05
Competencies: Comp02, Comp04, Comp05
• Expository classes.
Master classes for the presentation of the contents of the theoretical program of the subject with the use of blackboard supported by computer presentations.
• Interactive classes:
(a) Seminars. Non-mandatory and assessable, these seminars reinforce concepts presented in lectures and enhance learning through student participation in class, either orally or in writing (see assessment system).
(b) Laboratory practices. Assessable and mandatory. The objective of the practices will be to familiarize students with some of the methodologies used in a Biochemistry laboratory.
• Tutorial classes. Clarification and resolution of doubts about the matter.
LEARNING EVALUATION SYSTEM
(A) (Final exam). Mandatory evaluable activity complementary to continuous evaluation.
The contents of the theoretical program will be evaluated through a face-to-face written exam (final exam). The maximum grade obtained in the exam (10 points) is equivalent to 75% of the final grade and as long as a minimum of 85% of the questions have been answered. Furthermore, the exam must be compensated in terms of the grade obtained in answers to objective questions (test type, terms relationship tables.....), with respect to that achieved in questions whose answer involves justifying, arguing, reasoning and relate concepts.
(B) Continuous evaluation
(a) Interactiva Seminars. Non-compulsory and assessable activity.
Designed to reinforce knowledge of a specific topic with oral and/or written participation by the student in class. It will be graded from 0 to 10 points, and the maximum achievable score (1.5 points) will account for 15% of the final grade for the course, provided that the student has achieved at least a 4.8 on the final exam (see final evaluation).
- A minimum attendance of 80% (verified by signature) is required to be graded in this section.
- Repeating students will be subject to the same circumstances as those enrolled for the first time regarding this activity.
(b) Laboratory practices. Mandatory and assessable activity.
- Attendance at all practical sessions will be mandatory to pass the course and will be monitored by signature/roll call. Laboratory work will be assessed, and students will be assessed by submitting an assignment or completing an online quiz via the virtual classroom (10% of the total grade for the course). Unexcused absences will result in a grade of FAIL.
- Students must obtain a grade of PASS (5) in the practicals to pass the course.
- The practical grade will be maintained for one academic year, meaning repeat students will not have to repeat the practical the following academic year.
- Repeaters. Repeat students will be exempt from completing the practicals, but the grade for the seminars from the previous academic year will not be retained.
(C) Final evaluation
The final grade will be obtained as the weighted average of the partial grades obtained in:
(1) the content exam (final) for the lectures (graded from 0 to 10 points and subject to the afore mentioned conditions), which corresponds to 75% of the total final grade.
(2) the continuous assessment corresponding to the interactive classes (25% of the total). It should be noted that the grade obtained in the seminars may only be added to the final exam if a minimum of 4.8 points has been obtained and the requirements for the practical sessions have been met.
- Students who do not pass the subject in the regular session may apply for a retake opportunity, maintaining their continuous assessment grade (only the assessment dependent on the final exam will be repeated).
- Students who fail the subject and must retake it may maintain their practical grade during the following academic year, provided they have completed the practical sessions.
LEARNING EVALUATION SYSTEM
(A) Final exam
Knowledge/ Contents: Con02
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D05
Competencies: Comp02, Comp05
(B) Continuous evaluation
(a) Seminars
Knowledge/ Contents: Con02
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D03
Competencies: Comp02, Comp04
(b) Laboratory practices
Skills/Abilities: H/D01, H/D05
Competencies: Comp02, Comp05
PRESENTIAL WORK IN AULA
Lectures (expository) 28h
Seminars (interactive) 15h
Laboratory practices (interactive) 6h
Tutorials 2h
3h exam
Total Work in the classroom 54h
PERSONAL WORK
Individual Studio 96h
• Attendance at all teaching activities.
• Use of the recommended bibliography and what was presented in the virtual classroom, if applicable.
• Participation in the corresponding classes, responding orally and/or in writing to the issues/questions posed by the teacher, both in the class itself and in those presented in the different lessons of the theoretical program and those specific to the seminars.
• Go deeper into the aspects of the subject indicated and presented by the teacher in the corresponding classes.
• Make summaries/schemes or scripts that synthesize the important contents of each of the program lessons, trying to combine and relate different aspects that are explained in each of them.
• Develop metabolic map(s) that allow the central metabolic pathways to be brought together in different physiological situations that allow relating, visualizing and clarifying aspects of the subject explained in separate blocks.
• Self-assessment of understanding of the contents. The student should try to generate, by himself and using the recommended bibliography, a catalog of questions and answers in a manner appropriate to the syllabus.
• Make use of tutorials for any type of question related to the subject.
• It is recommended that for a better understanding of Biochemistry II, you have prior knowledge of subjects such as Biochemistry I (pH and pka, bioenergetics: concepts of equilibrium constants, free energy variation, redox potentials and Nerst equation; redox reactions and redox coenzymes, vitamins, principles of hormonal signal transduction (insulin, glucagon and adrenaline), Genetics I/II, cell biology, animal (nutrient digestion) and plant physiology, microbiology, in addition to basic notions of chemistry (organic and inorganic).
• In the theoretical material explained during the course there could be variations with respect to the program presented in the teaching guide (in the order of time and/or incorporation of new concepts and most recent updates).
• The virtual campus will be used to leave information related to the subject and that may be useful to students.
• In cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or tests, the provisions of the "Regulations for evaluating students' academic performance and reviewing grades" will apply.
• The preferred communication channels will be email and individual tutorials. If necessary, communication can be established through MS-Teams.
Primitivo Barja Francisco
Coordinador/a- Department
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Area
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Phone
- 881816931
- primi.barja [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Maria Lourdes Dominguez Gerpe
- Department
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Area
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- ml.dominguez.gerpe [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: Temporary supply professor to reduce teaching hours
| Tuesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 08. Louis Pasteur |
| Wednesday | |||
| 19:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Spanish | Classroom 08. Louis Pasteur |
| 05.15.2026 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 09. Barbara McClintock |
| 07.07.2026 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |