MEDMCAT0001: MCAT Biochemistry Online

Course Director: Kathleen Giangiacomo, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biochemistry

Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Office: Kresge 627
e-mail: giang@temple.edu

Guidelines

Course Description
MCAT Biochemistry Online is a 5-week non-credit online biochemistry course designed
to provide pre-health students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the
"Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Section" portion of the
MCAT.

Unlike traditional undergraduate Biochemistry courses, MCAT Biochemistry Online

covers bioenergetics, enzymes and proteins, metabolism and molecular biology in one
course. The material in this course is equivalent to one semester of an undergraduate
level course.

Enrolled students are expected to have completed one semester of organic chemistry,
one semester of cell biology and to be competent in college level mathematics.

Course Schedule
MCAT Biochemistry Online is a 5-week course that is entirely online. Each week you
will have access to conversational videos and online quizzes that relate biochemistry to
human health and disease. In addition, you can ask LKSOM faculty questions about
the material through weekly discussion boards
On the course start date, material for the first week will be available on Bb. By the end
of the course, all 5 weeks of material will be available. While there are no set deadlines,
keeping up with the material and quizzes ensures the optimal learning of the material.
Course Objectives
The goal of MCAT Biochemistry Online (MEDMCAT0001) is to provide students with an
understanding of the basic principles of biochemistry expected for Medical School
Admission Tests. By the end of the course students should be familiar with basic
biochemical concepts related to: Protein Structure and Function; Enzyme Function and
Regulation; Transmission of genetic information; Membrane Structure and Composition;
Bioenergetics and Fuel Metabolism; Cell Signaling. Throughout the course,
biochemical concepts will be emphasized. As the course proceeds, students should
develop an understanding of key biochemical concepts and be able to identify and
correctly interpret these concepts from passages on health-related biochemical topics.

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Textbooks
There is no required textbook for MCAT Biochemistry Online. However, links for the
following online text books are available in the “Online Text Books” tab Canvas Course.
1. “Marks Basic Medical Biochemistry” by Michael Lieberman, Alisa Peet, Allan
Marks, 4th edition
2. “Biochemistry” by Berg, Tymoczko, Stryer, 5th edition, searchable version only
3. “Molecular Biology of the Cell” by Hunt, 4th edition, searchable version only
4. “Molecular Cell Biology” by Harvey Lodish, 4th edition, searchable version only
Some material from the course is taken from: “Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry” by
Nelson and Cox, 5th Edition. Chapter 1 also contains a helpful review of cells, basic
chemistry, physics, genetics and evolution.

Canvas
All course materials, including videos, online quizzes and discussion boards, are
available in the Canvas course and will become available on the course start date.
Questions related to the material can be posted on weekly discussion boards.
Technical difficulties with Canvas should be communicated to the course instructor
through the Canvas email.

Online Quizzes and Interactive Tutorials

Online quizzes will be posted on Canvas to provide incentive for keeping up with
assigned material and feedback on your mastery of material in the course. You may
take these quizzes as many times as you like; only your highest grade will count toward
your grade. However, it is highly recommended that you schedule your studies so that
you take the quizzes at least one time during the week in which they first appear.

Grades
The course grades will be determined from quiz scores (90%) and participation in
discussion boards (10%) with grade assignments as shown below.
Display Value Pass/Fail Numerical Equivalent
Distinguished High Pass > 90%
Proficient Pass > 75%
Completed Pass > 65%
Attended Ungraded < 65%

Help from Faculty

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For help with administrative aspects of this course (i.e. enrollment problems, grades,
etc.) you may contact Dr. Giangiacomo, course director.
For questions regarding the actual material taught in the course post your questions on
the discussion board related to the topic. These discussion boards will be checked
regularly the week they are first open, so ask your questions the week the material
appears to ensure your receive an answer in a timely fashion.

CONCEPT MCAT15 BIOLOGICAL & BIOCHEMICAL FOUNDATIONS

1A Structure and function of proteins and their amino acids
1B Transmission of genetic information from gene to protein
1D Principles of bioenergetics and fuel metabolism.
2A Assemblies of molecules, cells and groups of cells within multicellular
organisms.
3A Structure and function of the nervous and endocrine systems and ways
in which these systems coordinate the organ systems.
5A Unique nature of water and its solutions.
5B Nature of molecules and intermolecular interactions
5D Structure, function and reactivity of biologically-relevant molecules
5E Principles of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics.

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WEEK Session Canvas Title (MCAT15 Concept) Subject Matter Faculty

1 1 Overview of Tissue Metabolism (3A) Liver, Muscle, Brain, Adipose & Blood Chong
3 videos, one online quiz Tissue/Organ Specificities & Metabolic Cooperation

1 2 Cell Compartmentation (2A) Subcellular Membranes; Fractionation of Subcellular Organelles; Chong

5 videos, one online quiz Nuceus, ER & Mitochondria; Lysozomes & Golgi Apparatus;
Metabolic Cooperation Between Different Organelles

1 DB1A Discussion Board on Sessions 1 & 2 Overview of Tissue Metabolism; Cell Compartmentation Chong

1 3 Principles of Bioenergetics 1 (1D & 5E) Exothermic/Endothermic Reactions; Free Energy & Spontaneous Reactions Giangiacomo
2 videos, one online quiz

1 4 Principles of Bioenergetics 2 (1D & 5E) Relationship of ∆Go and Keq; ∆G and Qc; Giangiacomo
3 videos, one online quiz LeChatelier'sPrinciple, Additivity of ∆G
4RVW Logarithms & Exponents Review
1 video

1 5 Principles of Bioenergetics 3 (1D & 5E) Fuel oxidation and electrical energy in biology; Oxidation-Reduction in Biology; Giangiacomo
4 videos, one online quiz Roles of e- carriers in fuel oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction Potentials

1 DB1B Discussion Board on Sessions 3, 4 & 5 Principles of Bioenergetics Giangiacomo

1 6 Amino Acids (1A & 5D) Stereochemistry & Classification; Dipolar Ions; Acid Base, Isoelectric point; Giangiacomo
4 videos, one online quiz Modifications; One Letter Code
6RVW pH, pKA and buffers (5A & 5B) Relationship between pH, H+ and OH- in water; Giangiacomo
2 videos Biological buffers, pH and pKa

1 7 Protein Structure (1A, 5B & 5D) 1o Structure, Peptide Linkage & the Peptide Bond; 2o Structure, a helix, b sheet, turns Giangiacomo
4 videos, one online quiz 3o Structure & Stabilizing Factors; 4o Structure, Globular (Hb) vs Fibrous (Collagen)

1 8 Protein Function1 (1A & 5B) Ligand Binding Interactions (Mb and Hb); Affinity, Kd and Life-time Giangiacomo
4 videos, one online quiz Ligand Binding and Receptor Occupancy; Cooperativity, Mb and Hb

1 9 Protein Function2 (1A & 5E) Allostery; Cooperativity & Hemoglobin; Allosteric Modifiers of Hemoglobin; Giangiacomo
3 videos, one online quiz Allostery, Sickle Cell Disease & Isoelectric Focusing

1 10 Protein Function3 (1A) Immunoglobins & the Antibody-Antigen Interaction; Immunoglobins & Biotechnology; Giangiacomo
3 videos, one online quiz Motor Proteins & Skeletal Muscle Contraction

1 DB1C Discussion Board on Sessions 6 through 10 Amino Acids, Protein Structure, Protein Function Giangiacomo

2 11 **Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Bioenergetics (sessions 3, 4 & 5) Giangiacomo

4 interactive videos Tutorial on Amino Acids & Proteins (sessions 6 through 10)

2 12 Enzyme Function (1A) Enzyme Function, Reduction of Activation Energy, Mechanism of Catalysis Giangiacomo
1 video, 1 online quiz Substrates and Enzyme Specificity

2 13 Enzyme Kinetics & Inhibitors (1A) ActivationEnergy, MichaelisMenten, Linweaver Burk Plots; Giangiacomo
2 videos, 1 online quiz Reversible & Irreversible Inhibitors, Types of Inhibition, Drug Desgin

2 14 Enzyme Regulation (1A) Enzyme Regulation Overview, Substrate Availability, Product Inhibiton Giangiacomo
2 videos, 1 online quiz Allosteric Enzymes, Covalently-modified enzymes, Zymogen

2 15 **Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Enzymes (sessions 12, 13, 14) Giangiacomo

1 video

2 DB2A Discussion Board on Sessions 12 through 15 Enzymes Giangiacomo

2 16 Solute Transport Across Membranes (2A) Classes & Properties of Transporters; Mechanisms of Solute Transport Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Ion Channel Transport & Membrane Potential

2 17 Cell Signalling & Fuell Metabolism 1 (2A & 3A) Hormones and Metabolic Homeostasis; Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Structure and Function of Metabolic Hormones; Hormonal Regulation of Blood Glucose

2 18 Cell Signalling & Fuell Metabolism 2 (2A & 3A) Hormones and Signal Transduction Giangiacomo

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3 videos, 1 online quiz 2nd Messengers and Signal Transduction; Cytosolic Calcium and Signal Transduction

2 19 Overview of Fuel Metabolism (1D) Metabolism Overview; Fuel Oxidation; ATP Energy Currency; Giangiacomo
5 videos, 1 online quiz ATP Synthesis; Flow of Energy

2 DB2B Discussion Board on Sessions 16 through 19 Solute Transport; Cell Signalling & Fuel Metabolism; Fuel Metabolism Overview Giangiacomo

2 20 Carbohydrate Structure (1D) Nomenclature, classification, common names, absolute configuration Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz cyclic structure and conformation, epimers and anomers
monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides

2 DB2C Discussion Board on Session 20 Carbohydrate Structure Giangiacomo

3 21 Carbohydrate Digestion (1D) Hydolysis of the glycoside linkage, Digestive Enzymes Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Glucose absorption, transport and regulation by insulin

3 22 Glycolysis (Category 1D) Anaerobic & Aerobic Glycolysis; Key Reactions & Relationship to Other Pathways Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Regulation: Roles of Key Enzymes, Modifiers, Insulin & Glucagon

3 23 Citric Acid Cycle (1D) Overview: Location, Role in providing e- to the Electron Transport Chain Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Role of Enzymes, Coenzymes, Sources of Carbon
Amphibolic Pathway, Anaplerotic Reactions, Mechanisms of Control

3 24 Oxidative Phosphorylation (1D) Role in metabolism, components of the ETC & sources of electrons; Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Chemiosmotic Hypothesis, Role of ATP Synthase, Control of Ox-Phos.
Mitochondrial Pathologies: Hypoxia, Anoxia, inhibitors, Uncouplers, Mutations

3 25 Gluconeogenesis (1D) Overview, Precursors, Unique Enzymes; Synthesis of Glucose from Precursors Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Control of Glycolysis & Gluconeogenesis

3 26 Pentose Phosphate Pathway (1D) Roles in Metabolism, Function of the Products; Role in the Red Blood Cell Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz Role in Phagocytosis

3 27 Glycogen and Starch Metabolism (1D) Role of Major Tissues That Store Glycogen; Glycogen Synthesis; Glycogen Degradation Giangiacomo
3 videos, 1 online quiz

3 28 **Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Carbohydrates (sessions 20 through 24) Giangiacomo

1 video

3 29 **Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Carbohydrates (sessions 25 through 27) Giangiacomo

1 video

3 DB3A Discussion Board on Sessions 21 through 29 Carbohydrate Metabolism Giangiacomo

3 30 Structure & Biological Properties of Lipids (1D & 2A) Fatty Acids; Trans fatty acids; Acylglycerols; Phosphoacylglycerols; Sphingolipids; Chong
6 videos, 1 quiz Cholesterol

3 DB3B Discussion Board on Session 30 Structure & Biological Properties of Lipids Chong

4 31 Digestion, Mobilization and Transport of Fats (1D) Digestion of Dietary Lipids; Lipoprotein Particles; Chong
3 videos, 1 quiz Transport of Triacylglycerols and Cholesterol

4 32 Fatty Acid Oxidation and Ketone Body Formation (1D) Overview & Fat Mobilization; Fatty Acid Activation & Transport to Mito. Matrix Chong
5 videos, 1 quiz Beta-Oxidation; Ketone Body Formation & Utilization; Ketone Bodies in Starvation

4 33 Fatty Acid Synthesis (1D) Overview of biochemical reactions, intracellular compartments, major tissues Chong
5 videos, 1 quiz Synthesis from carbohydrates; Fatty Acid Synthase Complex;
Synthesis of unsaturated FA's, Regulation, Fatty Acid Synthesis in the Liver

4 34 Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Lipids (sessions 30 through 33) Chong

1 video

4 DB4A Discussion Board on Sessions 31 through 34 Lipid Metabolism Chong

4 35 Amino Acid Intake and Protein Digestion (1D) Role of Amino Acids in Metabolism, Excretion Products, Compounds made from AA's Giangiacomo
2 videos, 1 quiz Major digestive proteases, Amino Acid Uptake, Essential Amino Acids

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4 36 Metabolism of Amino Acids, Producation of Urea (1D) AA Interconversions, Urea Cycle, Amino Acids & Gluconeogenesis; Giangiacomo
4 videos, 1 quiz Inherited Errors in AA Metabolism; Amino Acid Anabolism
Tetrahydrofolate and Nucleotide Synthesis

4 DB4B Discussion Board on Sessions 35 & 36 Amino Acid Intake and Metabolism Giangiacomo

4 37 Nucleic Acid Structure & Function, Central Dogma (1B) Central Dogma, Components of Nucleic Acids, Phosphodiester linkage, Haines
1 video, 1 quiz Base-pairing rules, DNA packaging in humans, chromatin, histones & nucleosomes

4 38 Human Genome and Gene Structure (1B) Gene organization in different species, general gene structure in humans Haines
1 video, 1 quiz Basic structure of a chromosome,General Findings of ENCODE Project

4 DB4C Discussion Board on Sessions 37 & 38 Nucleic Acid Structure & Function, Central Dogma; Human Genome & Gene Structure Haines

4 39 DNA Replication & Repair (1B) Overview of Replication; Steps in Replication; Eukaryotic vs Prokaryotic Replication Soprano
5 videos, 1 quiz Fidelity of DNA Replication; Basis of DNA Repair

4 40 RNA & Transcription (1B) Basics of RNA Transcription, Types of RNA and RNA polymerases, mRNA, rRNA, tRNA Soprano
5 videos, 1 quiz

4 DB4D Discussion Board on Sessions 39 & 40 DNA Replication & Repair; RNA & Transcription Soprano

5 41 Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Replication & Repair; RNA & Transcription Soprano
1 video

5 42 Genetic Code (1B) Peptide sequence encoded by DNA & RNA, Codon, Anticodon, Initiator Codon Haines
1 video, 1 quiz Nonsense codon, wobble position, reading frame

5 43 Translation (1B) mRNA characteristics, tRNA structure & charging tRNAs, Ribosome Structure Haines
2 videos, 1 quiz Three steps of Translation: initiation, elongation, termination

5 DB5A Discussion Board on Sessions 42 & 43 Genetic Code; Translation Haines

5 44 Control of Gene Expression Prokaryotes (1B) General Mechanism, Lac Operon, Trp Operon Soprano
3 videos, 1 quiz

5 45 Control of Gene Expression Eukaryotes I (1B) Core Promoter and Pre-Initiation Complex, Enhancers and Gene Regulatory Proteins Soprano
2 videos

5 46 Control of Gene Expression Eukaryotes II (1B) Coactivators, Corepressors & Chromatin Structure; Post-transcriptional regulation Soprano
3 videos, 1 quiz Sessions 45 & 46 Translational regulation

5 47 Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Gene Expression (sessions 44-46) Soprano

5 DB5B Discussion Board on Sessions 41, 44 throuh 47 Control of Gene Expression: Prokaryotes & Eukaryotes Soprano

5 48 Recombinant DNA 1 (1B) Gene Cloning Process & Principles of DNA Sequencing Haines
1 video

5 49 Recombinant DNA 2 (1B) Analysis of genes and gene products, Detection of disease and genetic variation Haines
1 video, 1 quiz for Recombinant DNA 1 and 2 Recombinant DNA technology in drug development

5 50 Interactive Tutorial Tutorial on Nucleic Acid Structure, Central Dogma, Translation Haines
2 videos Tutorial on Translation, Recombinant DNA

5 DB5C Discussion Board on Sessions 48 through 50 Recombinant DNA Haines

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