Biochemistry involves applying chemistry principles to biological systems. Biochemists explore the structures and physical characteristics of biological molecules like proteins and nucleic acids, the functioning of enzymes, chemical regulation of metabolic pathways, the molecular foundation of heredity, the chemistry of vitamins, cellular energy use, and more. Related fields are biophysics, which uses physics techniques in biology, and cell biology, which examines the structure and function of individual cells. Molecular biology, a term coined in 1950, intersects with biochemistry, focusing on molecular organization. Biochemistry is sometimes referred to as physiological or biological chemistry.History: Modern Chemistry: Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794), known as the father of modern chemistry, conducted essential research on chemical oxidation, demonstrating its similarity to respiration.Organic Chemistry: In the 1800s, Justus von Liebig studied in Paris and brought insights from Lavoisier's students back to Germany, establishing a strong foundation for organic chemistry.Enzymes: Louis Pasteur showed that yeasts and bacteria were responsible for fermentation and some diseases. He pioneered the use of chemical methods to study these organisms, eventually leading to the identification of enzymes in 1877.Proteins: The chemical nature of enzymes remained unclear until 1926 when urease, the first pure crystalline enzyme, was isolated, proving enzymes to be proteins composed of amino acids.Vitamins: The role of small dietary components in preventing diseases like beriberi became clear in 1935 when a vitamin was found to be part of an enzyme.ATP: In 1929, ATP was isolated from muscle tissue, linked to cellular respiration. By 1940, F.A. Lipmann recognized ATP as the primary energy currency in cells.Radioisotopes: In 1935, R. Schoenheimer and D. Rittenberg began using radioactive isotopes to trace chemical pathways in the body, providing insights into cellular chemical changes.DNA: In 1869, a substance named nucleic acid was isolated from cell nuclei, later identified as DNA. It was not until 1944 that DNA's role as genetic material was established, when it was shown to alter the genetic makeup of bacteria. Within ten years, Watson and Crick proposed DNA's double helix structure, explaining its function in heredity.
