Part 1.
Adaptations of biological molecules. Polysaccharides adaptations. Extremophile proteins; extremozymes. Proteostasis in the different cellular domains. Respiratory pigments in different animals and their adaptations to the different life styles. Part 2: Adaptations of hormone systems in the animal world. Part 3: adaptations of metabolism. Fermentation. Adaptation of biochemical cycles to the different life styles and to nutrient availability.
“Biochemical Adaptation: Mechanism and Process in Physiological Evolution”, by Hochachka, Peter W., Somero, George N.; ISBN: 0-691-08344-4. Princeton University Press
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: knowledge of the biochemical reactions and cycles that allow different classes of organisms to extract energy from nutrients and interact among each other and with the environment.
Expertise: Interpreting complex biological phenomena in terms of the biochemical processes involved.
Skills: Applying the knowledge and the expertise acquired to problems in ecology, environmental and behavioural biology.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the fundamentals of biochemistry: structure and function of proteins, enzymes, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids. Major biochemical pathways.
Teaching Methods
48 hours of lectures
Type of Assessment
Oral examination
Course program
Introduction: origin of life on Earth, models that explain the origin of biochemical pathways and cycles.
Part 1: The impact of oxygen appearance on evolution. The GOE. Evolution of antioxidant enzymes: SOD, catalase, thioredoxin. Distribution, structure and function of the respiratory pigments. Oxygen as weapon. Response to alterations of the oxygen concentration. The HIF pathway. Anoxya in carassius and in turtles.
Part 2: Biochemical adaptations to extreme environments. Adaptations to hot environments. Hsp, ubiquitine-proteasome system, protestasys. Adaptations to cold environments. Hsp, chemica chaperones, UCP, AFP, IBP, INP. Hybernations in mammals. Biochemical adaptations in halophiles, acidophiles and alkalophiles.
Part 3: Hormones and communication in the animal world. General evolutionary trend of hormone systems. Catecolamines, steroids, thyroid hormones, vitamin D, serotonin, insulin.
Part 4: Adaptations of metabolism. Alternatives to glycolysis: Entner Douduroff pathway. Carbon fixation pathways. rTCA cycle , WL pathway, 3-hydroxypropionate bicycle. Anaerobic respirations: dehalogenation, sulfate reduction, anammox metabolism. Fermentations. Introduction to animal metabolism. Insect metabolism. Metaboism during migration.