Environmental Biochemistry

COURSE CURRICULUM

1.

Course title

ENVIRONMENTAL BIOCHEMISTRY

2.

Code

HМ-655

3.

Study curriculum

All chemistry study programs

4.

Organizer of the curriculum (institute, department)

Institute of chemistry, PMF, UKIM

5.

Degree (BSc, MSc, PhD)

BSc

6.

Academic year/semester

III/VI

7.

ECTS points

4

8.

Lecturer

Dr. Sandra Dimitrovska-Lazova, Professor

9.

Prerequisites

Organic chemistry II and signature from Biochemistry I

10.

Course objectives (competences):
Through interactive teaching and laboratory exercises, students should master the basics of the biochemical aspects of interactions between plant and animal organisms, as well as their interactions with the environment.

11.

Course content:
– Introduction: Definition, subject of study and historical development of environmental biochemistry.
– Biochemical adaptation. Definition. Interactions between species (competition, predation, symbiosis, etc.).
– Biochemical aspects of plant adaptation to the environment: adaptation to climatic conditions: different ways of adaptation and chemical substances involved in these processes. Adaptation of organisms to changes in soil composition. Adaptation of organisms to the presence of heavy metals in the soil. Mechanisms of plant adaptation. Toxicity of some metals.
– Mechanisms of detoxification. Different types of mechanisms of detoxification in plants (biodegradation, biomineralization, phase changes, etc.). Detoxification from phenols, herbicides.
– Plant toxins and their effect on the animal world. Classes of toxic compounds in plants: nitrogen-containing toxins (β-cyanoalanine, L-Dopa, glucosinolates, etc.), non-nitrogenous toxins (terpenes, phenolic compounds, etc.), aflatoxins. Utilization of toxins in plants by animals.
– Adaptation of organisms to environmental changes at the cellular level. Gene expression
– Biochemical aspects of genetic mutations as a result of environmental influence. Factors that cause mutations (exogenous and endogenous). Hypermutations. Types of mutations (substitution of one base pair by another, removal of one or more base pairs and insertion of one or more base pairs).

12.

Teaching methods: lectures, laboratory classes

13.

Total available time

120 hours

14.

Time distribution

2+1 hours/week

15.

Teaching methods distribution

15.1.

Teaching - lectures

30 hours

15.2.

Practicals (laboratory, problem solving), seminars, team work

15 hours

16.

Other activities

16.1.

Projects

30 hours

16.2.

Independent work

15 hours

16.3.

Homework

30 hours

17.

Grading methods

17.1.

Tests

80 points

17.2.

Seminars/projects (written/oral presentation)

10 points

17.3.

Activity

10 points

18.

Grading scale (points/mark)

< 50 points

5 (five) (F)

51 to 60 points

6 (six) (E)

61 to 70 points

7 (seven) (D)

71 to 80 points

8 (eight) (C)

81 to 90 points

9 (nine) (B)

91 to 100 points

10 (ten) (A)

19.

Criteria for taking the final exam

Finished laboratory practicals and attending lectures

20.

Course language

Macedonian

21.

Teaching quality control

Anonymus surveys for course quality and student suggestions

22.

Literature

22.1.

Compulsory

No.

Author

Title

Publisher

Year

1.

J. B. Haeborne

Introduction to ecological biochemistry

Elsevier, Academic Press

2003

2.

3.

22.2.

Additional

No.

Author

Title

Publisher

Year

1.

H. Lambers, F. S. Chapin III, T. L. Pons

Plant Physiological Ecology

Springer

1998

2.

3.

4.