Advanced biochemistry
Academic Year 2022/2023 - Teacher: DANIELE TIBULLOExpected Learning Outcomes
Course Structure
Required Prerequisites
The student attending the Advanced Biochemistry course must have good knowledge of General Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular Biology and cellular biology
Attendance of Lessons
classroom lesson
Detailed Course Content
Folding, transport, intracellular degradation of proteins
Introduction to protein folding. Molecular chaperones: general
characteristics and principles of operation. Protein degradation:
ubiquitination, proteasome and autophagy. Cellular targeting. Transport
mechanisms. The secretory pathway: translocation, modification and
folding of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Quality control and
functions of the Endoplasmic Reticulum. Glycosylation of proteins:
glycan code, dedicated chaperones and folding mechanisms. Unfolding
Protein Response (UPR) and ERAD (ER associated Degradation). Misfolding
pathologies.
Cellular trafficking: lipids, membranes and vesicles
References to the lipid composition of biological membranes and their
importance in the architecture of the different compartments and
vesicles. Topology of transmembrane proteins. Regulation of enzymatic
activities by compartmentalization. Lipid rafts and extracellular
matrix.
Biosignaling: Receptor and Ligand Structure-Function and Signal TransmissionThe
signal transduction pathways of RAS / PKA, SNF1 / AMPK, TOR, JAK /
STAT, PI3K AND MAPK. The tyrosine kinase receptors and steroid
receptors. Non-receptor tyrosine kinases. Receptors associated with G.
Dynamics of the mitochondrial network: Biochemistry of fusion / fission processes and quality control of mitochondria; structure and function of high molecular weight GTPase proteins such as Dnm1 / Drp1, Mitofusine and Opa1. Molecular mechanisms of quality control of mitochondria: role of PINK1 and Parkin in mitophagy. Oxidative stress: biochemistry and biological role of antioxidant enzymes. Role of the redox state in the processes of cell proliferation and death. Role of nitric oxide in physio-pathological processes. Redox mechanisms implicated in carcinogenesis. Mitohormesis
Biochemistry of the tumor cell. Metabolic adaptation of cancer cells. The response to hypoxia and transcription factors HIFs. Role in tumor progression. Metabolic deregulation as one of the hallmarks of cancer; the deregulation of glycolysis in tumor metabolism; oncogenes and tumor suppressors and impact on glycolysis; metabolic targeting in the tumor. Crosstalk between metabolism and epigenetics. Oncometabolites.
Textbook Information
Robert Weinberg, La biologia del cancro, Zanichelli
Massimo Romani, Epigenetica, Zanichelli
ALBERTS ET AL., BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DELLA CELLULA, ZANICHELLI
Course Planning
Subjects | Text References | |
---|---|---|
1 | Folding, transport, intracellular degradation of proteins Introduction to protein folding. Molecular chaperones: general characteristics and principles of operation. Protein degradation: ubiquitination, proteasome and autophagy. Cellular targeting. Transport mechanisms. The secretory pathway: translocation, modification and folding of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Quality control and functions of the Endoplasmic Reticulum. Glycosylation of proteins: glycan code, dedicated chaperones and folding mechanisms. Unfolding Protein Response (UPR) and ERAD (ER associated Degradation). Misfolding pathologies. | Robert Weinberg, La biologia del cancro, ZanichelliMassimo Romani, Epigenetica, ZanichelliALBERTS ET AL., BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DELLA CELLULA, ZANICHELLI |
2 | Cellular trafficking: lipids, membranes and vesicles References to the lipid composition of biological membranes and their importance in the architecture of the different compartments and vesicles. Topology of transmembrane proteins. Regulation of enzymatic activities by compartmentalization. Lipid rafts and extracellular matrix. Biosignaling: Receptor and Ligand Structure-Function and Signal TransmissionThe signal transduction pathways of RAS / PKA, SNF1 / AMPK, TOR, JAK / STAT, PI3K AND MAPK. The tyrosine kinase receptors and steroid receptors. Non-receptor tyrosine kinases. Receptors associated with G. | Robert Weinberg, La biologia del cancro, ZanichelliMassimo Romani, Epigenetica, ZanichelliALBERTS ET AL., BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DELLA CELLULA, ZANICHELLI |
3 | Dynamics of the mitochondrial network: Biochemistry of fusion / fission processes and quality control of mitochondria; structure and function of high molecular weight GTPase proteins such as Dnm1 / Drp1, Mitofusine and Opa1. Molecular mechanisms of quality control of mitochondria: role of PINK1 and Parkin in mitophagy. Oxidative stress: biochemistry and biological role of antioxidant enzymes. Role of the redox state in the processes of cell proliferation and death. Role of nitric oxide in physio-pathological processes. Redox mechanisms implicated in carcinogenesis. Mitohormesis | Robert Weinberg, La biologia del cancro, ZanichelliMassimo Romani, Epigenetica, ZanichelliALBERTS ET AL., BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DELLA CELLULA, ZANICHELLI |
4 | Biochemistry of the tumor cell. Metabolic adaptation of cancer cells. The response to hypoxia and transcription factors HIFs. Role in tumor progression. Metabolic deregulation as one of the hallmarks of cancer; the deregulation of glycolysis in tumor metabolism; oncogenes and tumor suppressors and impact on glycolysis; metabolic targeting in the tumor. Crosstalk between metabolism and epigenetics. Oncometabolites. | Robert Weinberg, La biologia del cancro, ZanichelliMassimo Romani, Epigenetica, ZanichelliALBERTS ET AL., BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DELLA CELLULA, ZANICHELLI |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Written tests in progress and oral exam
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
protein folding
autophagy