Youtube biochemistry connections!

This is a youtuber vlog who simplified some concepts in biochemistry. It's a great way to learn biochemistry with visuals other than the normal book and pictures. He has several hundred thousand views on his videos. Check it out!

Youtuber's page: http://www.youtube.com/user/aaronsbiochemvideos?ob=0

Biochemistry playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUB34s87z8t9KeSWLO_SJNdA&feature=plcp

BIOchemistry Connections with past knowledge!

Things said in BIOCHEM that made some neurological connections! There are so many of them made from past knowledge but here a few that actually stuck in mind:

Disulfide bonds! 
These were taught in general chemistry. Sure, the meaning was understood, but what about real life? In curly hair!! The more curly the hair, the more disulfide bonds there are. It finally makes sense. Obviously there are many other places that can be found, but now there's a connection.

Proteins!
It's always been a mystery to me why proteins work the way they do. And why enzymes do what they do. Although some might think of it as a simple concept. I finally realized that the structure determines their function.

Chinese food syndrome!!
I always feel sick after eating Chinese food. Now I know that it really is the food that made me feel sick and not something else. It's because it contains lots of MSG which is linked to Glutamic Acid. It's obviously a flavor enhancer since I still eat Chinese food. It's just so delicious.

Alzheimer's disease causing protein..alter ego?

Protein name:

Amyloid-beta Precursor Protein

Amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) is large membranous protein  that normally plays an important  role in neural growth and repair. However, the corrupted form, (with the evil alter ego), can destroy nerve cells which leads to Alzheimer's disease.

APP has many different functions and is normally found on the surface of cells in the body. It is connected to  few domains by flexible linkers which make it hard to study due to it's structure. 

It plays significant roles both when intact or when broken into pieces which is why many functions of APP are still being discovered and studied. When the protein is intact, it sends signals through a G-Protein system. In other words it becomes a receptor protein and binds to other structural molecules outside of the cells. When it binds to heparin and laminin, it plays a role in cell adhesion.

The protein can also be broken up into fragments by proteases called secretases. Secretase cuts the sides of the small peptides in APP. One of the pieces (the larger piece)  then is released outside of the cell and helps control the growth of nerves and the other piece (the smaller one) is taken into the cell where it plays a role in the nucleus with protein-synthesis. The middle piece however , is the one that plays the BIGGEST role in Alzheimer's disease. 

 

source: doi: 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/mom_2006_7 (PDF Version, ePub Version  )

What is biochemistry, and how does it differ from the fields of genetics, biology, chemistry, and molecular biology?

Biochemistry is the study of structure, function, composition and chemical reactions in living organisms. It combines different knowledge from different areas in science.

• In genetics, traits of heredity are studied through proteins and  amino acids rather than studying them on a chemical depth as in biochemistry.
• Biology is the study of all living organisms and includes their origin, function, structure and evolution. It is also a more broad study of living things where as biochemistry is concentrated. 
• Chemistry is the study of elements, molecular compounds, and their structure and characteristics. It differs from biochemistry in such that biochemistry focuses on the structural organization in the human body. 
• Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. It overlaps with other areas of biology including biochemistry.