NWNR300902 Bioorganic chemistry

Type
Lecture
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Zamyatina, Alla
Organisation
Organic Chemistry
Offered in
Sommersemester 2026
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

This course introduces the chemical principles that govern the structure, reactivity, and biological roles of the major classes of biomolecules: nucleic acids (DNA and RNA); amino acids, peptides, and proteins; lipids and glycolipids; carbohydrates, glycans, and glycoproteins; and vitamins as coenzymes in major cellular systems.

Emphasis is placed on how molecular structure determines biological activity, with particular attention to primary structure (how biomolecules are built and how specific chemical features influence biological activity) as well as secondary structure (the three-dimensional organization of nucleic acids and proteins, how it is determined by primary structure, and how it contributes to function).

We will discuss how these features of primary structure contribute to molecular recognition, catalysis, signaling, and regulation at the cellular level. While the course primarily focuses on the interplay between the chemical structures and properties of biomolecules and their biological roles and mechanisms in the cell, it also introduces essential concepts in the chemical preparation and modification of biomolecules (at an overview level), including selected strategies for peptide formation, nucleotide and oligonucleotide assembly, and functional group transformations relevant to biological chemistry.

In addition, an organic chemistry-based mechanistic view of molecular transformations in selected cellular systems is discussed.
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Previous knowledge expected

This course is designed for graduate students and early-career researchers who already have a background in the basic principles of organic chemistry.
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

The objective of the course is not covering everything currently seen as bioorganic chemistry, but rather introducing to essentials of bioorganic chemistry and concentrating afterwards on specific topics of interest. The major objective of the course is to understand the structure-function relationships of major biomolecules comprise living cells.
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You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.