Title: Week 5 - Unit 2. Molecular Composition of Cell
Course: Biochemistry

Introduction

This unit serves to provide notion on the chemistry of life. How life is almost based on carbon compounds and exclusively based on chemical reactions taking place in watery or aqueous solution at cellular level. In addition, life processes are dominated and governed by polymeric molecules formed from simple molecules or monomers which join end to end to form macromolecules.

Expectation

To understand how living systems are assembled, we must first understand a little about atomic structure, about how atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds to make molecules, and about the ways in which these small molecules are joined together to make larger molecules, until finally we arrive at the structures of cells and then of organisms. The chapter will focus on molecules from which cells are made and examine their structures.

Course outline

1. Basic cell chemistry
2. Carbohydrates
3. Lipids
4. Proteins
5. Nucleic acids

Learning outcomes

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

- Explain the ways in which naturally occurring elements combine to create molecules, cells, tissues, organ systems, and organisms
- Describe the structure of macromolecules.