BIOMOLECULES

Biochemistry - I

Dr. Muhammad Kalim Tahir

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Glucose
D glucose
D glucose

Sucrose

Lactose Cellulose

Lactase
Lactose : glucose + galactose
Some population segments exhibit lactase persistence
resulting from a mutation that is postulated to have
occurred 5000-10,000 years ago, coinciding with the rise
of cattle domestication. This mutation has allowed almost
half of the worlds population to metabolize lactose
without symptoms.
3% Danes are deficient of lactase compared with 97%
Thais

Glycogen

Amylose Amylopectin

Amino acids
Amino acids
Glutathione
Amide/Peptide bond?

Epinephrine

Thyroxine

NEUROTRANSMITTER
DOPA

Dopamine

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DOPA/MINE
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. It is a chemical
messenger that helps in the transmission of signals in
the brain and other vital areas. Dopamine is found in
humans as well as animals, including both vertebrates
and invertebrates
L-DOPA is used as a drug in the clinical treatment
of Parkinson's disease.
L-DOPA crosses the protective bloodbrain barrier,
whereas dopamine itself cannot. Thus, L-DOPA is used
to increase dopamine concentrations in the treatment of
Parkinson's disease.
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Amino acids / Proteins

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13

Glargine/ Detemir

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Glargine/ Detemir

A 21

B 29

Insulin:

Asn

Lys

Glargine:

Gly

Detemir:

B 30,

31, 32

Thr (terminal)

Thr

Arg Arg

Lys
Myristic acid (C 14)

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Glargine/ Detemir
Insulin glargine, marketed by Sanofi-Aventis under the name
Lantus, is a long-acting basal insulin analogue, given once daily to
help control the blood sugar level of those with diabetes. It consists
of microcrystals that slowly release insulin, giving a long duration of
action of 18 to 26 hours, with a "peakless" profile.

Insulin detemir is a long-acting human insulin analogue for

maintaining the basal level of insulin. Novo Nordisk markets it under
the trade name Levemir. It is an insulin analogue in which a fatty
acid (myristic acid) is bound to the lysine amino acid at position B29.
It is quickly absorbed after which it binds to albumin in the blood
through its fatty acid at position B29. It then slowly dissociates from
this complex.
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Amanita muscaria /

- Amanitin

Look for Amino acids

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alpha-Amanitin
-amanitin is a cyclic peptide of eight amino acids. It is
possibly the most deadly of all the amatoxins, toxins
found in several species of the Amanita genus of
mushrooms. The oral LD50 of amanitin is approximately
0.1 mg/kg.
-Amanitin is an inhibitor of RNA polymerase II.[

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Fat

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Choline / Ethanolamine

?
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Sphingosine/Ceramide

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Sphingomyelin

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Haem

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Myoglobin

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Myoglobin / Hemoglobin

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Ribonuclease

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Purines

Allopurinol

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Pyrimidines

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cAMP
AMP / Cyclic AMP

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Nucleic acids

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Oparin Theory
Atmosphere rich in
Ammonia,
Methane,
Carbon monoxide and
Water
Essentially devoid of oxygen
A reducing atmosphere
Electric energy from
Lightning discharges

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Oparin Theory
Heat Energy from
Volcanoes
Formed: Simple organic compounds
Associated: Larger complexes
Assembled spontaneously:
Membranes and
Enzymes
Which came together to become precursors of the
earliest cells

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Oparin Theory
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun

lightning discharges,

caused the gases in the atmosphere to react,

forming simple organic compounds.
This dissolved in the primeval oceans and continued to
react, forming what is sometimes referred to as the
primitive soup.

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Oparin Theory
The primitive soup contained

amino acids,

sugars, and

nucleic acids bases among other randomly

synthesized molecules.
Further reactions formed
polymers
and these associated, eventually forming globules.
Ultimately this evolved into the first primitive cells.

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Miller Urey Experiment

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Prebiotic Evolution
Reactions among the mixture components can produce
hydrogen cyanide (HCN), formaldehyde (CH2O) and
other active intermediate compounds (acetylene,
cyanoacetylene, etc.):
CO2 CO + [O] (atomic oxygen)
CH4 + 2[O] CH2O + H2O
CO + NH3 HCN + H2O
CH4 + NH3 HCN + 3H2

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Prebiotic Evolution
The formaldehyde, ammonia, and HCN then react by
Strecker synthesis
to form amino acids and other biomolecules:
CH2O + HCN + NH3 NH2-CH2-CN + H2O
NH2-CH2-CN + 2H2O NH3 + NH2-CH2-COOH (glycine)

Furthermore, water and formaldehyde can react via

Butlerov's reaction to produce various sugars like ribose.

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Results

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DNA/RNA/Proteins
Neither DNA nor Proteins

RNA genetic material

RNA as a catalyst

RNA increase exponentially

Replication not so perfect: Variant species

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DNA/RNA/Proteins
DNA complementary to RNA took over as genetic
material
RNA evolved to play role in Protein synthesis

Organism developed mechanism to produce energy

through photosynthesis

Synthesis of Sugars

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DNA/RNA/Proteins
Incorporation of atmospheric N to form Amino acids
Proteins wide distribution took over diverse roles
including catalysis

Lipid like compounds formed relatively impermeable

Layers around self replicating collections of molecules
Proteins and nucleic acids within lipid enclosure favored
the molecular interaction for self replication
Organisms began to interact and derive mutual benefits
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Post Millers Work Era

In the years since Miller's work, many variants of his procedure have
been tried. Virtually all the small molecules that are associated with
life have been formed: 17 of the 20 amino acids used in protein
synthesis, and
all the purines and pyrimidines used in nucleic acid synthesis.
But abiotic synthesis of ribose and thus of nucleotides has
been much more difficult. However, success in synthesizing
pyrimidine ribonucleotides under conditions that might have existed
in the early earth has recently (Nature 14 May 2009) been reported.

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Post Millers Work Era

One difficulty with the primeval soup theory is
that it is now thought that the atmosphere of the
early earth was
not rich in
methane and
ammonia
essential ingredients in Miller's experiments.

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