Three Major Themes

It seems that biochemistry class with Dr. K. is coming to an end. As I look back and think about some of the fascinating topics we have discussed it is very difficult to choose three. There are many things that I have learned before, not in such detail of course, in previous science courses. If I were to to choose three important topics that I have learned the most about and have connected most with past knowledge I would say protein structure, transcription/translation, and glycolysis. These topics were discussion in great detail during biochemistry lectures because they are some of the most important parts about biochemistry.
Proteins structure started our class off with a bang. We learned the basic principles and then got into great detail concerning this class of biological molecules that play such an important role in science today. I connect this topic with past knowledge that I learned in general bio when I first started my secondary education. Proteins were a great starting point because once these were discussed we were able to just into transcription and translation to see how they were created.
Transcription and translation were taught one after the other because they go together like pretzels and cream cheese (if you haven't tried it I strongly suggest it!). We had just learned about protein and their structure but we need to know how it all falls together. What a better topic to teach us than these processes. We learned the differences in prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription and translation and we learned the importance of both of these processes.
One of the best parts about learning these processes was that they were also covered in great detail during our genetics class this semester. It was helpful to have both courses teach these processes because it created a stronger background for future sciences courses that I plan to take. There is so much going on during these processes that I am thankful that I took both genetics and biochemistry at the same time.
The third theme that I connect to other topics in this course is movement of these biomolecules known as proteins that we created during transcription and translation. Processes that were discussed range from the electron transport chain to glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. There are many different ways our bodies create energy and use the proteins we learned so much about. I was able to use a lot of what was taught in earlier classes this semester to help understand processes like glycolysis, metabolism of fatty acids, the electron transport chain, and gluconeogenesis.
I was able to connect all three of these themes with past knowledge that I learned in biology, general chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and even in recent studies such as genetics. I am glad to have studied these topics in such detail because I can explain their importance to others around me and I was always have this knowledge to further my education.