521-305 Biochemistry of Mammalian Metabolism and Nutrition

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 521-211,212 and 521-221, or (pre 1997) 521-201 and 521-202 or Biological Chemistry 521-024. In special circumstances, the Head of the Department may permit some students who have not taken 521-221 (pre 1997 521-202) to enrol in this subject.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

By the end of the subject the student should understand the relationships between nutrients, vitamins and the metabolic processes of the typical mammal, the molecular basis of adaptive responses, metabolic integration and homeostasis, adaptive responses to a variety of dietary and environmental factors, the biochemical processes governing muscle protein metabolism and its regulation, the regulation of lipoprotein gene expression, and metabolism and lipid transport mechanisms in normal and diseased states. Subject content includes: Overview of whole animal nutrition and metabolism including tissue specialisation; adaptive responses and the molecular basis for regulation of enzymes, nutrient carrier proteins and relevant cell receptors; mechanism of action of lipid soluble vitamins; integrated aspects of carbohydrate, lipid and protein/amino acid metabolism; energy-transducing membranes and modern concepts of bioenergetics; ion pumps and their regulation; regulation of muscle protein metabolism in response to endurance training, excessive feeding, starvation, physical trauma, and related clinical diseases; regulation of muscle protein gene expression; the biochemical basis of anabolic drugs; dietary fate of lipids, lipid transport mechanisms and the regulation of lipoprotein gene expression and metabolism; biochemical basis of obesity and cardiovascular disease and related nutritional problems, as well as adaptive responses to excessive consumption of alcohol.

Assessment

A 2.5 hour end-of-semester written examination (80%) plus one short oral and two written assignments during the semester (20%).

Prescribed Texts

Harris, D A Bioenergetics at a Glance, 1995, Blackwell Science. Lecture handouts and a list of specific textbooks and other references will be made available at the beginning of the course.