Fundamentals of Biochemistry: Bioelements and Living Matter

Fundamentals of Biochemistry

Biochemistry as a Science

Components:

• Bioelements
• Biomolecules
• Forces that bind

Biochemistry and Biological Science

Characteristics of living matter:

• Complexity
• Order
• Replication Capacity

Cell Structure and Organization

Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

Components of Living Matter

All life forms consist of the same chemical elements that form the same types of molecules. This reflects the common evolutionary origin of cells and organisms.

Bioelements

• Primary Elements: Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N).
• Secondary Elements: Sulfur (S), Phosphorus (P), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Chlorine (Cl).
• Trace Elements: Iron (Fe), Silicon (Si), Manganese (Mn), Vanadium (V), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Zinc (Zn), Cobalt (Co), Fluoride (F), Selenium (Se), Iodine (I), Molybdenum (Mo), Boron (B), Tin (Sn).

Tetrahedral Configuration of Carbon

Different types of organic molecules have different three-dimensional structures. The spatial conformation is responsible for biological activity.

Bioelement Functions

• Sulfur: Found in two amino acids (cysteine and methionine) present in all proteins, and in substances such as coenzyme A.
• Phosphorus: Part of nucleotides, which form nucleic acids; also part of coenzymes, phospholipids (essential for cell membranes), and phosphates.
• Magnesium: Part of the chlorophyll molecule in ionic form; acts as a catalyst for many chemical reactions in the body.
• Calcium: Part of calcium carbonate skeletal structures; involved in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse transmission.
• Sodium: Abundant cation in the extracellular environment; necessary for nerve conduction and muscle contraction.
• Potassium: Abundant cation inside cells; necessary for nerve conduction and muscle contraction.
• Chlorine: Anion required to maintain water balance in the blood and interstitial fluid.

Trace Elements

• Iron: Essential for chlorophyll synthesis, catalytic reactions, cytochromes involved in cellular respiration, and hemoglobin for oxygen transport.
• Manganese: Involved in the photolysis of water during plant photosynthesis.
• Iodine: Necessary for the synthesis of thyroxine, a hormone involved in metabolism.
• Cobalt: Part of vitamin B12, needed for hemoglobin synthesis.
• Silicon: Provides tissue resistance; hardens plant tissues like grasses.
• Chromium: Involved with insulin in regulating blood glucose.
• Zinc: Acts as a catalyst for many reactions in the body.
• Lithium: Affects neurotransmitters and cell permeability; in adequate doses, it can prevent depressive states.
• Molybdenum: Part of plant enzymes that act in the reduction of nitrates.