Résumé de section
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Faculty: Natural and Life Sciences
Department: Biological and Agricultural Sciences
Target audience: Master 1, Applied Biochemistry
Course title: Applied Biochemistry
Teaching unit: UEF1Weekly student workload (VHH): 4h30 (Lectures 3h00; Tutorials 0h00; Practical work 1h30)
Total semester workload (VHS): 67h30 (Lectures 45h00; Practical work 22h30)
Personal work: 82h30 | Coefficient: 3 | Credits: 6Schedule:
Sunday 11:00–12:30, S16 T4
Tuesday 11:00–12:30, S14 T4Instructor: Dr. Boutellaa Saber
Contact by email: s.boutellaa@centre-univ-mila.dzTeaching Objectives
The main objective of this course is to give students an in-depth understanding of biochemistry applied to biomolecules of plant, microbial and animal origin, as well as their industrial valorization processes.
Recommended Prerequisites
Fundamental knowledge of general biochemistry, enzymology, plant and microbial biochemistry, cell biology and plant and microbial physiology, and finally organic chemistry, particularly for understanding molecular structures and biosynthesis reactions.
Course Content
Lectures (45h00)
Chapter I: Biochemistry of Substances of Plant Origin (15h00)
1. Macromolecules of the plant cell wall:
1.1. Structural polysaccharides: cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins.
1.2. Structural phenolic compounds: lignins.
1.3. Wall proteins: extensins, PRPs.
1.4. Other associated constituents: waxes, cutin, suberin.
1.5. Structure, functional role and biochemical properties.
1.6. Importance for nutrition, food processing and bioprocesses.
2. Secondary metabolites:
2.1. Main families:
2.1.1. Alkaloids
2.1.2. Terpenes and derivatives (essential oils)
2.1.3. Phenolic compounds: flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, tannins.
2.2. Origin and tissue localization
2.3. Biosynthetic pathways
2.4. Isolation and extraction techniques
2.5. Applications and benefits: therapeutic, cosmetic, agri-food, natural antioxidants, etc.
Chapter II: Biochemistry of Substances of Microbial Origin (12h00)
1. Biomass culture and production of single-cell organisms (SCP):
1.1. Microbial culture techniques.
1.2. Microbial synthesis of amino acids, organic acids, pigments, etc.
1.3. Agri-food, pharmaceutical and environmental uses.
2. Microbial enzymes:
2.1. Types, functions and specificity.
2.2. Role in metabolism and microbial ecology.
2.3. Industrial interest (digestive, detergent, synthesis enzymes, etc.).
3. Vitamins and cofactors:
3.1. Microbial production of vitamins (B12, B2, etc.).
3.2. Microbial biosynthetic pathways and industrial optimization.
4. Antibiotics and bioactive metabolites:
4.1. Chemical nature and origin.
4.2. Mechanisms of action and activity spectra.
4.3. Role in ecological competition and medicine.
Chapter III: Applied Enzymology (09h00)
1. Immobilized enzymes:
1.1. Immobilization methods: adsorption, covalent bonding, encapsulation, entrapment.
1.2. Modified properties: stability, activity, specificity.
1.3. Applications: agri-food industry, pharmaceuticals, environment.
1.4. Enzymatic reactors: operation, design, examples of use.
2. Artificial enzymes and innovative biocatalysts:
2.1. Definition and objectives.
2.2. Case study: cyclodextrins.
2.3. Structure and properties.
2.4. Role in the encapsulation of aromas, vitamins and active ingredients.
2.5. Applications in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Chapter IV: Economic and Societal Impact of Biomolecules and Bioprocesses
Practical Work (22h30)
1. Extraction and characterization of plant cell wall polysaccharides (05h30)
2. Extraction of plant secondary metabolites (flavonoids, essential oils, alkaloids) (06h00)
3. Phytochemical screening, characterization and quantification of plant secondary metabolites (06h00)
4. Microbial culture and production of a biomolecule (05h00)
Assessment Method
(must be communicated to students at the beginning of each semester)
• In-person semester exam (60%).
• Continuous assessment (CA) (40%) in the form of at least 3 components: written quizzes, homework, personal work, presentations, tests, reports, etc.
Two of the three components must necessarily take place in person. The nature of the 3 components and their weightings are left to the discretion of the teaching team.
Bibliographic References
1. Wink, M. (2010). Introduction to plant secondary metabolism. Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 40. Wiley-Blackwell.
2. Harborne, J. B. (1998). Phytochemical methods: A guide to modern techniques of plant analysis (3rd ed.). Chapman and Hall.
3. Crueger, W., & Crueger, A. (2000). Biotechnology: A textbook of industrial microbiology (2nd ed.). Sinauer Associates.
4. Stanbury, P. F., Whitaker, A., & Hall, S. J. (2017). Principles of fermentation technology (3rd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.
5. Sheldon, R. A., & van Pelt, S. (2013). Enzyme immobilisation in biocatalysis: Why, what and how. Chemical Society Reviews, 42(15), 6223–6235.
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Applied biochemistry plays a pivotal role at the interface between biochemical mechanisms and their practical applications. It connects the chemistry of natural substances with their uses in a wide range of sectors such as agriculture, environmental management, renewable energy, nutrition, medicine, and multiple industrial domains including paper production, cosmetics, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and chemical manufacturing. Understanding these applications allows students to appreciate the economic and technological importance of biomolecules in both traditional and emerging industries.