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Course
Module: Biomolecules |
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3.1 |
Syllabus on BIOMOLECULES |
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a. |
Begin at the beginning .... "In the beginning ....
" |
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With NH3, HCN, CO, C2H2 as building blocks as far as we can see |
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First, nucleic acid bases then catalytic biomolecules to
be |
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A chemistry of self assembly of molecular types begin |
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Marvellous forms of life to create as if by a hand unseen |
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b. |
When are fats not fat ? |
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Fatty acids and glycerides make food - Oh glorious food |
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Fatty derivatives make creams and lotions to suit every
mood |
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Surfactants and detergents will keep things soft and clean |
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When fats, fake or real, are for the body, healthy and
prim |
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c. |
If food (the fatty type) is glorious, what are we to eat
? |
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In essence the eight or ten are medium chain saturates |
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To be essential add up to twenty or so, polyunsaturates |
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Fake fat, chocolate, ice cream, the palate to please |
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Keep the balance, avoid cancer, stroke or heart disease |
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d. |
Fats, Cholesterol and water do mix |
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Fats and water, a mixing problem we know too well |
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Lipoproteins, Lpa, LDL, HDL and what else? |
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But from the heart a little secret there is to tell |
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Keep the "good cholesterol" and out with LDL |
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e. |
Synthesis of Fatty acids |
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To delve in the complex world of fatty acids |
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Need we but two reactions for their synthesis |
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Of alkynes and Wittig to make the trans and cis |
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And two more reactions for their biosynthesis |
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f. |
Life with the Double Helix |
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Four alphabets plus one to life's blueprint |
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DNA, your destiny, good looks or the squint |
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Nurture, nature or whatever you may think |
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Leave not your DNA but only your footprint |
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g. |
The First Secret of Life |
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One molecule to two, identical to perfection |
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It is life's little secret, this replication |
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But hold it, immortality is not to be a predestination |
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Alas, beyond scope are secrets of sex and reproduction |
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h. |
When DNA is not perfect |
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DNA in double helix with grooves major and minor |
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When nucleophiles and radicals come in close encounter |
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Strand cleavage by hydrolysis or some fragmentation |
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Oh what destruction or will repair forbid mutation |
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i. |
Genes and RNA |
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With genes and genetic engineering many lives will change |
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Ribose, RNA and genetic code and life will never be the
same |
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Just a few alphabets and proteins and enzymes made to order |
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PCR, the chemist's dream, from one molecule, make a zillion
more |
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j. |
Of AIDs and Drugs |
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When fearful AIDS strike sign up against reverse transcriptase |
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Modify the alphabets, use liposomes, lipase or hydrolase |
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Replication, transcription and apoptosis do make little
sense |
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But all that we have is protease inhibitor, AZT and antisense |
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k. |
The Future |
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The human genome by the next millenium will be |
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For all, of creation so naked and glorious to see |
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Cloning, gene repair, body parts or whatever may be |
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Will wisdom prevail over the madness for immortality |
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