BOT-602 | Plant Biochemistry II — Course Outline & Labs

 

Course Title: BOT-602 – Plant Biochemistry-II

Credit Hours: 3 (2+1)

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Specific Objectives of the Course

• To explain the fundamentals of metabolic energy.
• To understand metabolism and plant constituents.
• To study biochemical pathways including carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleic acid metabolism.
• To introduce secondary metabolites (alkaloids, terpenoids, vitamins) and their biochemical significance.

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Course Outline

1. Bioenergetics

• Energy and its transformations
• Laws of energy changes
• Oxidation and reduction in living systems

2. Metabolism

i. Carbohydrate Metabolism

• Biosynthesis, degradation and regulation of sucrose and starch
• Breakdown of fats with special reference to β-oxidation and its energy balance
• Biosynthesis of fats

ii. Nucleic Acid Metabolism

• Replication of DNA
• Reverse transcription
• Biosynthesis of DNA and RNA

iii. Protein Metabolism

• Components of protein synthesis
• Genetic code
• Protein synthesis: initiation, elongation and termination

3. Alkaloids

• Occurrence and physiological effects
• Chemical nature with reference to: solanine, nicotine, morphine, theine and caffeine
• Aflatoxins: nature and role

4. Terpenoids

• Classification: monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, tetraterpenes, polyterpenes
• Chemical constitution and biosynthesis

5. Vitamins

• General properties
• Role in metabolism

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Laboratory Outline

1. Separation of soluble proteins by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE).
2. Separation of nucleic acids by gel electrophoresis.
3. Estimation of Vitamin C content in plant organs (e.g., orange, apple juice).
4. Determination of potential alkaloids in plants.
5. Estimation of terpenoids in plants.

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Recommended Books

• Conn, E. E. & Stumpf, P. K. (2002). Outlines of Biochemistry. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
• Lehninger, A. L. (2004). Principles of Biochemistry. Worth Publishers Inc.
• Voet, D., Voet, J. G., & Pratt, C. W. (1998). Fundamentals of Biochemistry. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
• Dey, P. M. & Harborne, J. B. (1997). Plant Biochemistry. Harcourt Asia PTE Ltd., Singapore.
• Smith, E. L., Hill, R. L., Lehman, R. I., Lefkowitz, R. J. & Abraham, H. Principles of Biochemistry (General Aspects). McGraw Hill International.
• Zubay, G. (2003). Biochemistry. MacMillan Publishing Co., New York.
• Chesworth, J. M., Strichbury, T., & Scaife, J. R. (1998). Introduction to Agricultural Biochemistry. Chapman & Hall, London.
• McKee, T. & McKee, J. R. (1999). Biochemistry – An Introduction. WCB/McGraw-Hill, USA.
• Taiz, L. & Zeiger, E. (2006). Plant Physiology (4th Ed.). Sinauer Associates, California.
• Lea, P. J. & Leegood, R. C. (1993). Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Wiley & Sons, New York.
• Abides, R. H., Frey, P. A., & Jencks, W. P. (1992). Biochemistry. Jones and Bartlett, London.
• Goodwin, T. W. & Mercer, E. I. (1997). Introduction to Plant Biochemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford.
• Heldt, H. W. (2008). Plant Biochemistry (3rd Ed.). Academic Press, UK.
• Campbell, M. K. & Farrell, S. (2008). Biochemistry (6th Ed.). Cengage.

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Recommended Journals / Periodicals

• Plant Physiology & Biochemistry
• Annual Review of Biochemistry
• Biochemical Journal
• Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Plant Biochemistry II