Feature papers in biochem

Aureliano, Manuel; Ma, Buyong

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/28675

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Autores

Aureliano, Manuel

Ma, Buyong

Resumo(s)

Biochemistry, or the chemistry of life, is an interdisciplinary science that uses strategies and methods from all exact and natural sciences. In that sense, Biochemistry is a discipline known to be challenging for students, typically due to the extent and complexity of the content [1]. However, in the last 10 years, at least fifteen Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Physiology and Medicine have been awarded in the field and/or for applications of Biochemistry, which reflects the importance of this area of knowledge in contemporary societies [2–7]. Biochemistry connects essential metal ions such as Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+ and Fe2+, and organic compounds, such as nucleic acids, sugars, lipids and proteins, to make biological systems possible, representing a unique platform for interdisciplinary collaborations in teaching and in research [8,9]. Moreover, in addition to biomolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, sugars and lipids), small molecules are necessary for cellular homeostasis, for example, carbonate ions and phosphate ions, responsible for stabilizing physiological pH (close to 7.0) or antioxidants that prevent the effects of cellular stress, as well as due to environmental pollutants, such as metals and/or microplastics [10–12].