Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of chemical substances and processes in plants, animals, and microbes, as well as the changes during development and life.

• The study of chemical compounds and reactions occurring in living organisms is known as biochemistry.
• It significantly overlaps with organic chemistry because most molecules in living cells contain carbon.
• It is concerned with the chemistry of life, and it employs analytical, organic, and physical chemistry techniques, as well as those of physiologists interested in the molecular foundation of vital processes.
• It is the study of substances such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids that are involved in the chemistry of living organisms.
• The study of the structures and interactions of biological macromolecules is known as biochemistry.
• Protein, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates are examples of macromolecules found in your body. As a result, biochemistry is being used in botany, medicine, and gene enhancement research. Biochemistry is now attempting to discover the secret of life and how biological components influence the processes that occur within living cells. This research will aid in understanding the entire functioning organism.
• Biochemistry aids in understanding the chemical base that gives rise to the process via biological substances occurring between and within living cells. This, in turn, refers to an understanding of tissues and organs, as well as the structure and functioning of organisms. As a result, biochemistry can also be described as the study of molecular biology that is concerned with the molecular processes of biological phenomena.
• Biochemistry is divided into numerous branches, each having its own specialization and area of study. Some important branches of biochemistry include:
  • Structural biochemistry: A branch of biochemistry helps to understand the chemical architecture of biological macromolecules, particularly proteins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). It is the study of the shapes encompassed by all of these macromolecules (specified at the atomic level) and the molecular interactions driving the formation of functional superstructures (e.g., ribosomes).
  • Bioorganic chemistry: It involves the study of organic substances (those containing carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen covalent bonds) derived particularly from living beings.
  • Molecular biology: The branch seeks to study and explore in depth the biochemical and metabolic cycles of living creatures, in addition to the integration and disintegration of molecules, to gain a greater understanding of the activities of living systems. The field focuses on analyzing the behavior, interactions, and production of biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes, hormones, and so on, to explain the biological life activities of organisms at the molecular level.
  • Genetics: Genetics is a subfield of biochemistry that studies genes, their mutations/variations, and the features of inheritance in living organisms. It is the study of an organism’s genetic makeup, including its traits, capacities, and diseases.
  • Chemical ecology: It deals with the synthesis and response of signaling molecules (semi-chemicals) as well as compounds that influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms (allelochemicals).
  • Metabolic biochemistry: A branch of biochemistry aims to understand the various types of metabolic pathways at the cellular and organic levels. The fields derived from metabolic biochemistry include bioenergetics, nutritional biochemistry, and clinical biochemistry.
  • Molecular genetics and genetic engineering: A branch of biochemistry and molecular biology that investigates genes, their origins, and their expression. It also investigates gene insertion, gene silencing, and the effect of variable gene expression.
  • Enzymology: It is concerned with the study of biological catalysts (mostly enzymatic proteins known as enzymes, but also catalytic RNAs known as ribozymes). Biochemical studies are conducted on the reaction kinetics, interactions involved in the transition state of enzymes and substrates, catalytic mechanism, enzymatic expression, control, and activity of enzymes.
  • Cell biology: The field of science is concerned with the structure and functioning of cells in living organisms. Cell biology is necessary for understanding the inherent biological operations that cells perform during their life cycle, such as respiration, feeding, cell division, chemical synthesis, defense systems, cell death, and others. The field is closely related to fields such as physiology, histology, and microbiology.
  • Immunology: It focuses on how an organism reacts to an antigenic challenge and determines what is and is not part of itself. It deals with the organism’s defense mechanisms, which include all the physical, chemical, and biological traits that assist it to fight off its vulnerability to invading organisms, material, etc.
• Biochemistry assists in understanding the chemical characteristics of several biological processes such as digestion, breathing, reproduction, excretion, hormone behavior, muscle contraction and relaxation, and many more.
• It is required for the development and production of diverse chemical and biological products, clinical diagnosis, nutrition, disease treatment, agriculture, and so on.
• Biochemistry ensures long-term viability. It is a large field of study that provides limitless employment opportunities, hence alleviating world poverty and malnutrition.