Comparative Biochemistry of Parasites - Lectures - MB160P17
Title: Biochemie parazitů
Czech title: Biochemie parazitů
Guaranteed by: Department of Parasitology (31-161)
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Actual: from 2024 to 2024
Semester: winter
E-Credits: 3
Examination process: winter s.:
Hours per week, examination: winter s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: not taught
Language: Czech
Note: enabled for web enrollment
the course is taught as cyclical
Guarantor: doc. RNDr. Ivan Hrdý, Ph.D.
Is co-requisite for: MB160C17
Opinion survey results   Examination dates   Schedule   
Annotation -
The course focuses on important features of metabolism of major protozoal and helminth parasites. It deals with carbohydrate catabolism, polyamine and lipid metabolism, purine and pyrimidine metabolism, proteases and antioxidant defenses of parasites. Where appropriate, the course stresses the differences in metabolism between parasites and their mammalian hosts and explains how these differences were exploited in antiparasitic drug design

J.J. Marr, M. Muller, Biochemistry and Molecular biology of Parasites. Academic Press Inc., San Diego, London, 1995
Last update: Hrdý Ivan, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (25.10.2019)
Literature -

There is no dedicated textbook for this course. The knowledge of basic biochemistry is required, excellent textbook is e.g. Lehninger's Principles of biochemistry. Current reviews and recent research papers on the topic are used throughout the course. 

After lectures, the presentation are available at  https://web.natur.cuni.cz/parasitology/vyuka/biochemie%20hrdy/Biochemie_parazitu.html. The password is the scientific name of the organism above the screen in the parasitology lecture room.

Last update: Hrdý Ivan, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (25.10.2019)
Requirements to the exam -

Oral exam. Good knowledge of all lecture topics is required, together with knowledge of basic biochemistry.

Last update: Hrdý Ivan, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (25.10.2019)
Syllabus -

Biochemistry of Parasites - syllabus


Oxygen and antioxidant mechanisms
Reactive oxygen species, mechanisms of their formation and toxicity. Antioxidant defense of parasites.

Energy metabolism of anaerobes
Specific aspects of metabolism of anaerobic parasites. Trichomonads, Entamoeba, Giardia. Modes of action of chemotherapeutics.

Energy metabolism of Kinetoplastida
Specific aspects of metabolism of kinetoplastid parasites. Glycosome, function of mitochondria. Trypanosomes, Leishmania. Modes of action of chemotherapeutics.

Some aspects of Apicomplexan metabolism
Energy metabolism, mitochondria, apicoplast and food vacuole of Plasmodia. Erythrocyte modification. Modes of action of chemotherapeutics.

Some aspects of helminth metabolism
Specific aspects of metabolism of parasitic helminths. Energy metabolism, anaerobic mitochondrion. Ascaris, Fasciola, Schistosomes.

Polyamines
Structure, function and metabolism of polyamines in parasites.

Proteases
Classification of proteases, their role in parasites. Typical proteases of parasites.

Last update: Hrdý Ivan, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (02.11.2015)