BIOC0709-4 : Bioenergetics

Study Programmes 2016-2017

BIOC0709-4

Bioenergetics

Duration :

20h Th

Number of credits :

Master in biomedicine (120 ECTS)		2
Master in biomedicine (60 ECTS)		2
Master in biochemistry and molecular and cell biology (120 ECTS)		2

Lecturer :

Pierre Cardol, Fabrice Franck

Coordinator :

Fabrice Franck

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents :

General introduction; energy in biochemical processes

Conversion of light energy to chemical energy:

The first expriments of Emerson on photosynthesis: oxygen quantum yield and photosynthetic units
The interaction of light with photosynthetic pigments; energy levels
Deactivation processes of the excited state of chlorophyll; energy transfer and photochemistry
Two photosystems: the 'red drop' effect: lateral distribution of photosystems in thylakoids
Structure and function of photosynthetic reaction centers: general aspects; features of photosystem I and II reaction centers
Organisation of photosystems and light-harvesting complexes
Structure and function of cytochrome b6/f; analogy with mitochondrial complex III
Linear and cyclic electron transport
Secondary pathways of electron transport
Carbon reduction and photorespiration

Oxidative phosphorylation and trans-membrane transport of metabolites:

History and recalls: energetic catabolism
The chemiosmotic theory: trans-membrane electrochemical gradient and photophosphorylation; the Mitchell hypothesis and basic experiments
Mechanisms of electron transfers and of proton translocation in the respiratory chain
Structure, composition, function and properties of respiratory complexes
Respiratory control and energy dissipating systems in the mitochondria
Structure, mechanism and function of ATP synthases
Transfer of metabolites and ions through membranes: process diversity, structure and function of principal ionic exchangers
Experimental methods to measure trans-membrane proton electrochemical gradients: lipophilic cations and electrochromic shift

Learning outcomes of the learning unit :

Understanding of thermodynamial aspects of energetic metabolism at the organite and cell level
Acquisition of experimental and conceptual processes for scientific knowledge development in the fields of bioenergetics
Knowledge of energetic and mechanistic aspects of biological processes:

of light excitation energy transformation
of energetic coupling
of conversion of redox energy into phosphate bound hydrolysis energy
of trans-membrane metabolite transport

Capacity for apprehending structure-function relationships for proteic complexes
Capacity for solving problems that involve different forms of biochemical energy

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

cell metabolism; general notions of protein structure

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Lectures; exercises

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Face-to-face