521-305 Biochemistry of Mammalian Metabolism and Nutrition

Credit Points:

When taken from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science:

10.0

When taken from Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture:

8

Coordinator:

Prerequisite/s:

Timetable:

Contact:

Objectives:

By the end of the program the student should have acquired:

• an appreciation of the relationships between nutrients and the metabolic processes of the typical mammal;

• a general knowledge of the factors determining metabolic integration and homoeostasis;

• a detailed knowledge of the mechanism of action of selected lipid soluble vitamins and adaptive responses to a variety of dietary and environmental factors;

• a detailed understanding of the role of muscle in nitrogen homoeostasis and the biochemical processes governing the metabolic responses of muscle development and metabolic responses to exercise, nutritional variations, physical trauma, anabolic drugs and muscle wasting diseases;

• a detailed understanding of the regulation of lipoprotein gene expression and metabolism and lipid transport mechanisms and the role of these processes in obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Content:

Overview of whole animal nutrition and metabolism including tissue specialisation. Adaptive responses: the molecular basis for regulation of enzymes, nutrient carrier proteins and relevant cell receptors. Mechanism of action of vitamins with particular emphasis on lipid soluble vitamins. Integrated aspects of carbohydrate, lipid and amino acid metabolism and protein turnover. Overview of the structure and function of skeletal muscle with particular emphasis on muscle proteins. Maintenance of nitrogen homoeostasis in response to disturbances caused by excessive feeding, starvation, physical trauma, variations in diet, and clinical disorders such as cancer and muscle wasting diseases. Muscle metabolism, including the regulation of muscle protein gene expression, metabolism and protein turnover, metabolic adjustments in the athlete, and the biochemical basis of anabolic drug use and abuse in sport. The dietary fate of lipids, lipid transport mechanisms and the regulation of lipoprotein gene expression and metabolism. The biochemical basis of obesity and cardiovascular disease and related nutritional problems as well as adaptive responses to excessive consumption of alcohol.

Assessment:

Prescribed Texts:

General Biochemistry textbooks, lecture handouts and selected journal articles will be used as sources for lecture material. Lecture handouts and a list of specific references will be made available at the beginning of the course.