The
understanding of chemical structure and function is adamant into the study of biochemistry.
Labeling carbons to identify where covalent bonds are going to attach, or where
carbon chains are going to get cleaved would not be easy if one did not take
organic chemistry prior to biochemistry. In nutrition classes one is taught about
the way the body responds carbohydrates, fats and sugars and which is bad/good
to consume in large quantities. Biochemistry takes this much further and shows
the chemical dynamics of each. The step by step reactions and what results in
usable energy for the body is examined and thoroughly explained in the glycolysis
chapter. Thermodynamics and the equation of the difference in enthalpy and
entropy are exhibited and that had been connected to the past knowledge of
organic chemistry.
It is interesting
to have genetics at the same time as this class, because DNA replication and
the processes of transcription/translation were taught simultaneously. Genetics
looked further into the possible mutations that can occur on nucleotides, and
biochemistry looks more into the hydrogen bonds between the anti-parallel
double helix and the octamers.
I absolutely agree with you! Knowing structure and function relationships help to predict how a given molecule or complex may interact in an organic system. It is very important to have taken at least some organic chemistry (or biology) prior to taking biochemistry. Having a science background is what allows us to make these important connections across the scientific disciplines.
ReplyDeleteImagine just seeing all the molecular structure diagrams without taking organic first as a segway? The class would have been overwhelmed! Even general chemistry was helpful to understanding the covalent bonds, double and single bonds, polarity and how each of these differ.
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