Biochemistry – Chemistry of Life

Biochemistry studies ( is the study of) the chemical substances and processes that occur in plants, animals, and microorganisms and of the changes they undergo during development and life. It deals with the chemistry of life, and as such it draws on the techniques of analytical, organic, and physical chemistry, as well as those of physiologists concerned with the molecular basis of vital processes. All chemical changes within the organism – either the degradation of substances, generally to gain necessary energy, or the buildup of complex molecules necessary for life processes – are collectively termed metabolism.

These chemical changes depend on the action of organic catalysts known as enzymes, and enzymes, in turn, depend for their existence on the genetic apparatus of the cell. It is not surprising, therefore, that biochemistry enters into the investigation of chemical changes in disease, drug action, and other aspects of medicine, as well as in nutrition, genetics, and agriculture. The term biochemistry is synonymous with two somewhat older terms: physiological chemistry and biological chemistry. Those aspects of biochemistry that deal with the chemistry and function of very large molecules (e.g., proteins and nucleic acids) are often grouped under the term molecular biology. Biochemistry is a young science, having been known under that term only since about 1900. Its origins, however, can be traced much further back; its early history is part of the early history of both physiology and chemistry.

Unit 2 genetic engineering

Pre-reading

Exercise 1. Before reading the text memorize words and word combinations.

application – вживання

to link – зв’язувати, повя’зувати

heredity disorder – спадкова хвороба

antibodies – антитіла

biodegrade – біологично розкладати(ся), руйнувати

oil spills – нафтові плями

patentable – той, що потребує патентування

alteration – зміна

substance – речовина, матерія

in conjunction with – у поєднанні з

ruling – постанова

recombinant – рекомбінант

research – дослідження

splicing – зрощування

A-GROUP

Exercise 2. Find in the text and write out from it all the nouns with suffixes -tion (-sion), -ment, -ance, -ity, and adjectives with suffixes -ic, -al, -ent (-ant), -able. Make up two columns:

NOUN ADJECTIVE

Example: application biological

Exercise 3. Read and translate the text.

Genetic engineering

Biotechnology is the application to industry of advances made in the techniques and instruments of research in the biological sciences. The growth of the field of biotechnology is closely linked to the development in the 1970s of genetic engineering (the directed alteration of genetic material). Substances that have been produced in this manner include human interferon (a natural virus-fighting substance), human insulin, and human growth hormone. The techniques of genetic engineering – splicing, transplantation, and chemical replantation of repressed, nonfunctional genes – also offer the possibility that a number of heredity disorders may be "corrected" by manipulation.

Recombinant-DNA techniques in conjunction with the development of a technique for producing monoclonal antibodies (antibodies produced by single clones of antibody-producing cells) have made an evident impact on medical diagnosis and oncology. Another important use of genetic engineering is the production of bacteria used to biodegrade oil spills and toxic wastes.

Biotechnology had its origins in a 1980 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that "a live human-made microorganism is patentable matter." This ruling resulted in the establishment of a number of commercial firms that manufacture quantities of gene-engineered substances for a variety of mostly medical and ecological uses.

B-GROUP

Exercise 4. Pick out Ukrainian equivalents to the following English.

1) to link 1) вживання

2. heredity disorder 2) зміна

3. application 3) спадкова хвороба

4. substance 4) антитіла

5. oil spills 5) постанова

6. antibodies 6) зв’язок

7. alteration 7) речовина

8. research 8) зв’язувати

9. ruling 9) нафтові плями

10. conjunction 10) дослідження

Exercise 5. Give antonyms to the following words. You may use both prefixes and other words.

possibility ___________________________________

appearance ___________________________________

to reduce ____________________________________

seldom ______________________________________

absence _____________________________________

known species ________________________________

to survive ____________________________________

to agree ______________________________________

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with the following words:

microbes, chemical, fertilizers, bacteria, waste utilization, biosphere, envelope, noosphere, ecology, sun energy

1. _____________ exist everywhere – on land and in the air, in the arctic and in hot spring lakes.

2. Each microbe may be considered as a _______________ plant of tremendous capacity.

3. Agriculture requires large amounts of nitrogen _____________ .

4. _________________ can help agriculture in the creation of bodies of water.

5. The rapid growth of urban centers and their population has created a problem of _________________ .

6. The ___________________ is the surface zone of the Earth and adjacent atmosphere, in which organic life exist.

7. The biosphere is an Earth’s _________________ complex in composition, construction and organization.

8. The ___________________ is a fundamentally new phrase in the development of biosphere.

9. A study of the relations of organisms to one another and to their abiotic environment at the level of species populations and biogeocenosis is called _____________________ .

10. Organisms capable of synthesizing organic nutrients from inorganic substance with use of ___________________ are termed autotrophs.

C-GROUP

Exercise 7. Write out from the text above all the predicates and point out the Tense and Voice.

Exercise 8. Put five types of questions to the following sentences.

1. The growth of the field of biotechnology is closely linked to the development of genetic engineering in the 1970s.

2. A number of heredity disorders may be "corrected" by manipulation.

3. R-DNA techniques have made an evident impact on medical diagnosis and oncology.

D-GROUP

Exercise 9. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the genetic engineering?

2. What is closely linked to the development of genetic engineering?

3. What substances have been produced with genetic engineering?

4. How many heredity disorders may be corrected ?

5. What has made an evident impact on medical diagnosis and oncology?

6. What is an important use of genetic engineering?

Exercise 10. Say whether the following statements are used correctly (true) or incorrectly (false). Correct the false sentences. Use phrases given below.

That`s right I can`t agree with it.

Exactly That`s wrong

Quite so I don`t think so.

These tiny things never grow. – That`s wrong, they eat and grow, travel and multiply.

1. The growth of the field of chemistry is closely linked to the development in the 1970s of genetic engineering.

2. Another important use of genetic engineering is the production of bacteria used to biodegrade oil spills and toxic wastes.

3. Biotechnology had its origins in a 2000 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that "a live human-made microorganism is patentable matter."

4. Monoclonal antibodies are produced by single clones of antibody-producing cells.

Exercise 11. Before reading the text below find the meanings of the following words and word combinations in the dictionary.

Uproar, to prompt, beverage can, eradicating pests, slump, fibres, fumigant, department, to apply, poultry, burst of steam.

Exercise 12. Read and translate the text. Render it in English.

Agriculture Technology.

Uproar from environmentalists prompted the Joseph Co. of California with BOC in Britain to develop a self-chilling beverage can using carbon dioxide instead of the ozone-harming gas previously contemplated. The beverage was automatically chilled in two minutes when a button on the can was pressed. The National Food Research Institute of Japan developed a method of eradicating pests from farm produce by using low-energy electron beams, eliminating the need for fumigants. A machine that sterilized meat without cooking it and which could be integrated into food-processing lines was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Research Service in Pennsylvania. It applied a vacuum to meat or poultry cuts followed by a burst of steam and then cooling.

Exercise 13. Answer the following questions.

1. What did Joseph Co. develop?

2. How was beverage chilled?

3. When was beverage chilled?

4. Where was a method of eradicating pests developed?

5. What was developed the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Research Service in Pennsylvania?

Exercise 14. Read and translate the text. Put as many as you can questions to the text beginning them with WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW.

The textile industry in 1996 was coming out of a depressed market. Asia was the only area where markets had not experienced a slump, and they continued to grow. Individual companies were entering into joint ventures in various countries to gain better market positions. Egypt's cotton and textile industry, for example, was initiating joint ventures with companies such as Benetton and Wrangler. Japanese firms were starting to produce acrylic, nylon, and polyester fibres and yarns and to do dyeing and printing operations in China. Japanese spinning operations and woolen fabric production were also being moved there, and the Taiwanese and U.S. industries were developing cooperative efforts with Chinese companies.

Exercise 15. Read and translate the following scientific article. Give the title to the article according to the main idea of it. Make up the annotation to the article and its summary.

Biotechnology critics had sparked the controversy when the first milk produced with the aid of genetic engineering was marketed in 1990s. Although that process had been approved by the relevant health agencies, critics said that as-yet-unknown risks could develop – if not in milk, then in other products slated for the market in coming years – and consumers would not be able to avoid them. Biotechnology proponents said such concerns stemmed from a misunderstanding of the science involved in genetic engineering. Half of all consumers surveyed said they would avoid genetically engineered products, but such resistance would lessen if the technology resulted in consistently lower food prices.

Steps toward a major change in how consumers buy their electric power were taken by the California Public Utility Commission, which proposed fully opening electric power service to retail competition by the year 2002. Without utility monopolies, under which consumers were forced to purchase power at set rates from a local utility, business and residential consumers could shop among power companies for the best prices – much like people already shopped for long-distance telephone service. The proposed changes would allow consumers to tap into existing networks of electricity transmission that connect power companies nationwide. Efforts to open the electricity market to consumers in California, New York, and other states were opposed by critics in the utility industry. They said that open competition would cause stock values to plummet, and by some environmentalist groups, which held that cheaper power would increase electricity use and thus air pollution.

Despite the popularity and growing safety reputation among consumers, antilock brakes in automobiles were found to offer no clear advantage on the nation's roads. A study by the Highway Loss Data Institute found that antilock brakes were not reducing either the frequency or the cost of car crashes, including crashes on wet and slippery roads, where antilocks should have proved advantageous. The researchers said the problem was not the technology, which demonstrated clear benefits under test conditions, but drivers who did not know how to brake with antilocks properly. The Institute also cited studies showing that some drivers in cars equipped with antilock brakes drove less safely.

Exercise 16. Speak on pros and cons of genetic engineering.

After learning all the UNITS do the following test to MODULE 5.