Medicine and Surgery

Contents: Structure and physico-chemical properties of nitrogenous bases, nucleosides and nucleotides. Nucleotides-containing cofactors and regulatory nucleotides (cAMP and cGMP). Polynucleotides. The DNA double helix: DNA A, B and Z, differences between the conformations. DNA denaturation and hyperchromic effect. Watson and Crick and Hoogsteen base pairing. DNA supercoiling and linking number. Enzymes controlling the supercoiling: topoisomerases I and II. Nucleosome structure and histones. RNA polymerase. Transcription factors and structural motifs in DNA binding proteins: HTH, zinc fingers, HLH, leucine zipper. Techniques: Enzymes used in recombinant DNA technology. Chemistry of DNA sequencing by the Sanger method and automatic DNA sequencing. Recombinant DNA products in Medicine. Microarrays. PCR and its applications in Medicine. Blood clotting - Factors involved in clotting: serine proteases, Ca2+ and phospholipids. Fibrinogen structure and its polymerization. Transglutaminase. Prothrombin and its activation. Vitamin K and its role in Gla-synthesis. Anticoagulants and fibrinolysis.

Requirements: Knowledge of fundamental principles of general chemistry. Basic knowledge of organic chemistry for the study of biochemistry: structure of organic molecules, functional groups and their main features and reactivity. In order to sit the exam, the student must have passed Chemistry and Introduction to Biochemistry (mandatory) .

Suggested textbooks: DL Nelson & MM Cox - Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (7th edition) D. Voet, JG Voet, CW Pratt - Fundamentals of Biochemsitry- Life at the Molecular Level (5th edition)

Attendance mandatory

Evaluation methods: The final evaluation for the whole course will be based on the results of a written exam (Progress test) structured as follows: - 4 chemical structure of important low-molecular weight biomolecules and of the main bonds in biomolecules; - 4 multiple-choice questions on major Biochemistry and Molecular Biology topics of the course topics of the course. - 2 open questions on major Biochemistry and Molecular Biology topics of the course topics of the course.

Teaching methods: Formal Lectures and 2 practicals