First year exam: Biochemistry I
Structure and Function of Biological Macromolecules
Examination board: Proff. Melino S, Caccuri A, Bottini M, Di Venere A
Examination modality: oral
Topics covered by the examination:
(a) Properties of important biological macromolecules (as carbohydrates, fatty acids, proteins)
(b) Structure and function of metalloproteins, with reference to enzymes involved in the process of cell detoxification (as superoxide dismutase)
(c) Structure and function of hemoproteins, particularly myoglobin and hemoglobin. Gene organization and evolution aspects;
(d) Structure and function of hormones, particularly beta-endorphynes
(e) A spectroscopic study of specific proteins’ active site
(f) Studies of protein structure by spectroscopic techniques
(g) Enzyme kinetics
Second year exam: Biochemistry II
Metabolism and its regulation
Examination board: Proff. Fezza F, Amelio I, Catani MV, Di Venere A, Gasperi V
Examination modality: short written assay
Topics covered by the examination:
(a) Principles of Bioenergetics, biosynthesis of ATP
(b) Glycolysis
(c) Gluconeogenesis
(d) The pentose phosphate pathway
(e) Catabolism and biosynthesis of fatty acids
(f) Cholesterol metabolism
(g) Amino acid metabolism
(h) The urea cycle
(i) Oxidative phosphorylation
(j) Metabolism of nitrogen bases
(k) Heme biosynthesis
Third year exam: Molecular Biology
Gene expression and its regulation
Examination board: Proff. Gambacurta A, Bernassola F, Agostini M, Piro MC
Examination modality: oral
Topics covered by the examination:
- The physical structure of the genome
- mRNA stability and localization.
- Regulatory non-coding RNA: microRNA, long non-coding RNA e circular-RNA.
- Epigenetics and human diseases
- Epitranscriptomics
- Genome Editing and potential therapeutic application.
- Genomics, epigenomics and transcriptomics of cancer
- Interaction between macromolecules: Mechanisms and physiological role
Teaching materials:
- Lewin’s Genes XII
- Molecular Biology of the Gene VIII Edition
- Reviews