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B.SC. (HONS) BIOCHEMISTRY DEGREE PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REVISED PROGRAMME
1. The Programme has been revised thoroughly taking into consideration the required courses outlined in the National minimum standard from the National Universities Commission.
2. In view of the fact that NUC minimum standard has not been considered adequate, more desirable and necessary courses taught in the old programme are being retained in order to maintain the quality of the degree programme.
3. For more effective teaching, the time devoted to tutorials has been increased in many of the courses.
4. Inevitably, the number of units to be obtained before a student can graduate has increased from 136 in the old programme to a minimum of 156 in the revised programme.
5. The introduction of Student Industrial Work Experience by NUC is placing the Biochemistry degree programme along professional lines and the implications for running the industrial attachment scheme are monumental.
6. Some courses have been re-numbered so that Harmattan Semester courses have odd numbers while Rain Semester courses have even numbers. Others have had their titles, syllabuses and units expanded. For Example, (a) “Advanced cell Biology” (2units) is now “Advanced Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering (3units). (b) Introductory Biochemistry (BCH 304) which used to be taught as a 4 unit course for one semester, is now expanded to two 3 unit courses (Introductory Biochemistry I and II).
7. The following new courses have been introduced:
THE FOLLOWING IS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF BIOCHEMISTRY COURSES Course Code (BCH)
B.Sc. DEGREE PROGRAMME 1.Objectives
(a) To provide a good background in physical, biological and mathematical sciences for each student.
(b) To provide a sound and all-round education in the basic science of biochemistry up to the bachelor’s degree level;
(c) To make students aware of the relevance of biochemistry in various ways and areas in meeting the manpower needs of the country;
(d) To provide appropriate courses for students from various Faculties – Science, Pharmacy, Education, Technology, Health Sciences, Agriculture; who require a working knowledge of Biochemistry;
(e) To provide specialized training in biochemistry at higher degree levels.
2. Degree Offered Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Biochemistry
3. Admission Requirements: (a) University Matriculation Examination (UME) Students intending to read for the B.Sc. degree in Biochemistry must have at least five credits in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) including English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. For the UME, candidates are required to answer questions in Chemistry, Physics and either Biology or Mathematics in addition to English Language. (b) Direct Entry Candidates who, in addition to the five relevant credit passes at SSSCE or “O” level, have passed with a satisfactory grade at “A” level in Chemistry and in one of Physics, Mathematics and Biology, may be considered for exemption from equivalent courses in the programme and will be credited with the units for such courses.
4. Requirements for the award of a degree The minimum requirement for the award of the B.Sc. degree in Biochemistry is a Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 156 units of course work, made up of : (i) General University requirements (ii) Faculty requirements (iii) Departmental requirements including compulsory courses (iv) Restricted electives and other approval electives. 5. Curriculum (a) Faculty Requirements: Option A UNITSCHM 101: Introductory Chemistry I 5 CHM 102: Introductory Chemistry II 5 MTH 101: Elementary Mathematics II 5 MTH 102: Elementary Mathematics II 5 PHY 101: General Physics 1 3 PHY 107: Experimental Physics IA 1 PHY 102: General Physics II 3 PHY 108: Experimental Physics IB 1 PHY 204: Introduction to Modern Physics 3 PHY 208: Experimental Physics IIB 1 MTH 201: Mathematical Methods I 4 MTH 202: Mathematical Methods II 4 Sub-Total 40
(b) Special Electives 12
(c) Departmental Requirements: ZOO 101 - Introductory Zoology I 3 ZOO 102 - Introductory Zoology II 3 ZOO 103 - Experimental Zoology 1 BOT 101 - Form and Function in Plants 4 CHM 201 - Basic Inorganic Chemistry 4 CHM 202 - Basic Organic Chemistry 4 CHM 203 - Basic Physical Chemistry 4 CHM 205 - Experimental Physical/Inorganic Chemistry I 1 CHM 304 - Thermodynamics 3 CHM 305 - Chemical Kinetics 2 CHM 307 - Application to Spectroscopic Methods 3 CHM 309 - Experimental Physical Chemistry 2 CHM 312 - Experimental Organic Chemistry II 2 MCB 201 - General Microbiology I 3 CSC 201 - Computer Programming I 3 BCH 202 - Cell and Molecular Biology 2 BCH 301 - General Biochemistry I 3 BCH 302 - General Biochemistry II 3 BOT 203 - Introductory Genetics 4 CHM 206 - Experimental Organic Chemistry I 4 BCH 306 – Functional Biochemistry 3 BCH 308 – Bioenergetics 2 BCH 310 – Protein Structure and Function 3 BCH 312 – Student Industrial Work Experience 3 BCH 401 – Enzymology 3 BCH 402 – Advanced Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering 3 BCH 403 – Lipids 3 BCH 404 - Regulation of Metabolic Processes 3 BCH 405 - Physico-chemical Methods in Biochemistry 3 BCH 407 – Nucleic acids and Protein Synthesis 3 BCH 410 - Seminar 2 BCH 411 – Experimental Biochemistry I 3 BCH 412 – Experimental Biochemistry II 3 BCH 413 – Research Project I 3 BCH 414 – Research Project II 3 BCH 415 – Biochemical Reaction Mechanism 2 Sub-Total 99
(c) Restricted Electives Sub-total 5 Chosen from the courses listed below BCH 406 – Metabolism of drugs and other foreign Compounds 2 BCH 408 – Industrial Biochemistry 3 BCH 409 – Bioinorganic Chemistry 1 BCH 416 – Microbial and Plant Biochemistry 2 BCH 306 – Aromatic and Heterocyclic Chemistry 2 CHM 314 – Alicyclic, Bifunctional Aliphatic and Terpenoid Compounds 2 MCB 301 – Microbial Genetics and Molecular Biology 2 MCB 303 – Immunology and Immunochemistry 3 FST 305 - Introductory Food Microbiology 3 CSC 208 – Computer Applications 2
(d) Free Electives In view of the large number of Chemistry courses required in a meaningful Biochemistry Programme, the number of units allocated to compulsory courses does not give room for free electives within the minimum number of units require for graduation. Students who wish may however take extra units as free electives in addition to this required minimum.
Grand Total number of units (a + b + c + d) 156 units
SCHEDULE OF COURSESPART I
HARMATTAN SEMESTER RAIN SEMESTER
PART II HARMATTAN SEMESTER RAIN SEMESTER
PART IIIHARMATTAN SEMESTER RAIN SEMESTER
PART IVHARMATTAN SEMESTER RAIN SEMESTER
COURSE CONTENT
Principles of the chemical basis of life. The molecular basis of cellular structure: Polysaccharides, Lipids, proteins, nucleic acid. The cellular basis of life: organization and function of the cell nucleus; structure and function of cell membranes; cell differentiation. The metabolism of cells: enzymes, digestion, anabolism and catabolism; energy release and utilization in the cell.
Prerequisites: CHM 101 & 102
PH and buffers. Chemistry of carbohydrates; lipids, amino acids and proteins, nucleic acids and nucleoproteins. Enzymes and co-enzymes. Vitamins.
Prerequisites: CHM 201, 202, 203, 205 & 206; BCH 202.
Methods of studying metabolism. Metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids; photosynthesis. Metabolism of purines, pyrimidines and nucleotides. Biosynthesis of nucleic acids and proteins. Recombinant DNA technology, phages and animal viruses. Regulation of metabolism.
Prerequisities: CHM 201, 202, 203, 205 & 206 BCH 202 & 301.
PH and buffers; intracellular organization and particles; structure of cells; methods of cell fractionation. Intracellular localization of enzymes and biochemical activities. Chemistry of the major constituents of the cells: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and nucleoproteins. Coenzymes: structure and function; enzyme kinetics; mechanism of enzyme action and control of enzymatic action. Biological membranes. Transport, Bioenergetics. Biological oxidations. Prerequisites: CHM 101 & 102; MTH 101;
Methods of studying metabolism. Metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleic acid and proteins. DNA replication, transcription of RNA, protein synthesis, recombinant DNA technology. Photosynthesis. Regulation of metabolism. Hormones, election transport and oxidative phosphorylation. Molecular biology of bacteriophage lambda. Biochemistry of animal viruses, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Neurotransmission, Vision, special topics in Biochemistry. Prerequisites: CHM 101, 102, MTH 101, BCH 303.
Body fluids: blood-plasma proteins, blood clotting, iron metabolism, electrolyte, water and acid-base balance. Muscle, composition, contractile process, sources of energy for muscular work. Biochemistry of brain, conduction and transmission of nervous impulse. Bone; calcium and phosphate metabolism. Biochemistry of vision. Endocrine glands; hormones; immunochemistry and immunobiology. Inborn errors of metabolism. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Prerequisite: BCH 301.
A review of the laws of thermodynamics, free energy and chemical potential. Nernst equation. ATP hydrolysis, phosphate group transfer potential. ATP production, Oxidative phosphorylation, photophosphorylation, bioluminescence, energy-dependent membrane transport. Prerequisite: BCH 301.
Classification of proteins with examples from important groups. Isolation of proteins. Criteria of purity, Determination of shape and size of the protein molecule. Primary structure. Reactions of amino acid side chains. Determination and evolutionary aspects of amino acid sequence. Secondary, tertiary and quarternary structure of proteins. Protein – protein interaction. Correlation of structure with functions in a few specific proteins. Prerequisite: BCH 301.
Students will be attached to some industrial organizations for 3 months. Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302.
Enzyme classification and nomenclature; three dimensional structure of enzymes. Chemical catalysis (transition state theory, principles of catalysis, covalent catalysts, nucleophilic catalysis, principles of microscopic reversibility, kinetic isotope effects etc). Basic enzyme kinetics (steady state). Significance of the Michaelis-Menten parameters inhibition, competing substrates. Haldane equation and reversibility, limitation of Michaelis-Menten equation, multi-substrate systems, etc. measurement and magnitude of enzyme rate constants, the pH dependence of enzyme catalysis; practical kinetics; detection of intermediates in reactions, stereochemistry of enzymatic reaction; active site directed and enzyme activated irreversible inhibitors; cooperativity, allosteric interactions and regulations; thermodynamics of enzyme substrate interactions and binding energy in catalysis, genetic engineering and protein engineering, biotechnology, mechanisms of action of enzymes. Prerequisites: BCH 301, CHM 305
Cytoskeleton and Cellular movements, cell to cell signaling. Membrane structure. Receptor function and specificity. Development of cell specificity; cancer, evolution of cells; selective cell interaction, nuclear cytoplasmic relationships; cell cycle, control of growth, differentiation and embryonic development, DNA recombination, plasmid vectors, bacteriophages, lambda vectors, expression of cloned DNA. Methods for physical characterization of cloned segments of chromosomal DNA from eukaryotes; study of expressions in eukaryotes, industrial uses of Genetic engineering. Prerequisite: BCH 202
A survey of the structure, functions, biosynthesis and catabolism of different classes of Lipids. The regulatory aspects of biosynthesis and catabolism of the lipids especially in relation to homeostasis in the organism will be stressed. The lipids include; fatty acids, glycerides and phosphoglycerides, prostaglandins, terpenoids and steroids such as bile acids, steroid hormones, carotenoids, vitamin D and terpenoid quinones. Steroid hydroxylation and, mode of action of steroid hormones. Prerequisites: BCH 301, 302 & 306.
13. BCH 404 - Regulation of Metabolic Processes – 2 + 1 + 0 (3 units) Rain Semester
Allosteric proteins and conformational aspects of enzyme regulation. Protein – Protein interactions. Illustrations of regulation of linear and branched metabolic pathways using specific examples. Protein turnover survey of hormones, their receptors and mechanisms of regulation of metabolism. Control of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Prerequisites – BCH 301 & 302.
Viscosity, diffusion, dielectric constant, osmometry, ultracentrifugation. Separation methods electrophoresis, chromatography (partition, ion-exchange, absorption, affinity, gel filtration). Optical methods (e.g. light scattering, optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism, refraction, infrared visible and ultraviolet absorption, fluorescence, phosphorescence). Electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, radio-isotope techniques.
Prerequisites: BCH 301, CHM 304
Review of different types of drugs with examples of structures. Action of drugs and foreign compounds on living organisms. Absorption, distribution and termination of action of drugs. Dose and time responses to drugs. Individual variability. Drug toxicity and aspects of drug abuse. Cellular metabolism in infected cells. Biochemical aspects of host-parasite relationships, metabolic factors affecting chemotherapeutic agents. Theories of the mechanism of drug action. Drug resistances and other factors affecting drug efficacy. Enzymatic basis of detoxication. Nigerian traditional medicinal plants in the management and therapy of common ailments in Nigeria (malaria, sickle cell anaemia, common cold, hepatitis etc). The physiological and biochemical action of some selected drugs. Prerequisites: BCH 301, 302 & 306 or BCH 303 & 304.
16. BCH 407 – Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis: 2 + 1 + 0 (3units) Harmattan Semester
Structure and properties of nucleotides and nucleic acids. Hydrolysis of nucleic acids. Elucidation of DNA structure and properties. Unique and repetitive DNA sequences. Aspects of phages and bacterial genetics. Mechanism of replication, Prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA polymerases and ligases. Restriction endonucleases, recombinant DNA technology; mRNA polymerase and transcription. Structure and function of rRNA, tRNA and mRNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Genetic code. Mechanism and control of protein biosynthesis. Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302.
A short review of microbial physiology and genetics. A review of general metabolic pathways, control and application in industrial processes. Continuous culture methods, principles and applications. The Chemostat and its application in industrial fermentations. Fermentations – alcoholic, amino acids, antibiotics and other secondary metabolites. Primary and secondary metabolism. Process evaluation and development. Over-production of metabolites – amino acids, taste enhancers, vitamins, toxins etc. Methods for and selection microorganisms of industrial importance. Induction of mutation in microorganisms and plants for the purpose of over-production. Strain selection/development enhancement. Gene dosage and its application in industrial processes. Enzyme biotechnology – enzyme immobilization, enzyme reactors, industrial uses of enzymes. Prerequisites: BCH 301, 302.
Relationship between the physicochemical properties and biological functions of inorganic ions. Ligand complexes and their biochemical significance. Electrolyte metabolism. Nitrogen fixation and sulphur cycle. Prerequisite: CHM 201, Co-requisite: BCH 301.
Hormones, immunochemistry, ecology, brain biochemistry, monoclonal antibodies. These may be taught or seminars may be given by academic staff and students.
Prerequisites: BCH 301, 302 & 306.
Experiments will be conducted to teach techniques used in biochemistry and to illustrate material presented in the lecture courses.
Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302.
Experiments will be conducted to teach techniques used in bio-chemistry and to illustrate material presented in the lecture courses.
Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302
The project may take the form of original research or literature review. It should be submitted two weeks before the examinations held in the expected final semester.
Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302
The project may take the form of original research or literature review. It should be submitted two weeks before the examinations hold in the expected final semester.
Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302.
Basic considerations and proximity effects in organic chemistry: molecular adaptations; bioorganic chemistry of the amino acids (general properties, dissociation behaviour, alkylations, acylations, chemical synthesis of proteins). Bioorganic chemistry of the phosphates, enzyme chemistry, enzyme models (micelles polymers, cyclodextrins, etc). Metal ions in biochemistry, co-enzyme chemistry (pyridoxal and schiff bases; tautomeric shifts and eliminations).
Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302.
Cell wall of bacterial and yeast. Antibiotics. Toxins Structure and function of flagella and cilia; differentiation of slime moulds. Regulation of Chromosome replication. Photosynthesis, alkaloids. Secondary metabolites, cyclic nucleotides.
Prerequisites: BCH 301 & 302.
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