Università Roma Tre

The Course aims to provide students with basic knowledge relating to biochemistry and cellular metabolism. Carbohydrates, Lipids, Amino acids, proteins: structure of proteins and examples of structure-function relationships. Enzymes and enzymatic catalysis: Definition of active site and substrate specificity; the Michaelis-Menten equation, enzyme inhibition. Introduction to aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and nitrogen compounds. Energy production in mitochondria.
The Course also aims to provide basic knowledge of molecular biology. Purine and pyrimidine nucleotides; structure of biological macromolecules; structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic chromosomes; Replication, Transcription; Translation; Recombinant DNA and Genetically modified organisms.
Laboratory activities related to recombinant DNA technology.

Recommended textbooks:
Chimica, biochimica e biologia applicata. Stefani M., Taddei N. ed. Zanichelli, 2015.
Elementi di biologia e genetica. Sadana D., Hillis DM., Heller Hc, Berenbaum Mr. Ed. Zanichelli, 2014.

Lesson slides will be provided.
The professor Cervelli receives every day from 10.00 to 11.00 by appointment via e-mail: manuela.cervelli@uniroma3.it

PLANT METABOLISM:
Water balance and mineral nutrition of plants; Photosynthetic metabolism; Nitrogen assimilation; Photoreceptors; plant hormones.
INTRODUCTION TO PLANT METABOLISM:
Definition of transgenic plant; Methods of plant transformation; Applications of Plant Biotecnology.

Laboratory activities:
-Protein extraction from plant tissues;
-Application of an assay ('Bradford') for protein quantification;
-Catalytic activity assays for plant enzymes;
-Genotyping of transgenic plants through DNA extraction, PCR and electrophoretic analysis of the PCR products;
-Discussion on the obtained results.

Recommended textbooks:
Elementi di Fisiologia Vegetale (N. Rascio), EdiSES, Edizione III, 2021
Lecture notes will be provided

Protein structure and examples of structure-function relationships. Enzymes and enzymatic catalysis: definition of active site and substrate specificity; the Michaelis-Menten equation, enzyme inhibition. Introduction to aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and nitrogen compounds.