Find an interesting biochemistry website and put its link in this entry, and describe briefly what is found there.

http://www.biochemj.org/bj/default.htm

This biochem website is a major way to keep up with the latest researches and previous journals posted about your specific area of study. The website is organized into several different categories in convenience to whatever topic you with to seek information on. It allows you to read through an abstract summary of research you wish to read up on as well as give you a variety of sources for you to go beyond with if you choose to look for more. There are a number of different journals per category therefore it provides viewers with a search engine were they are able to narrow down to exactly what they are looking for. Also, one is able to provide a commentary on any journal and submit to the author as well as submit your own journal to be posted. Subscriptions are also available here so that you are able to receive notifications of the newest journals posted and be up to date on what is going on at the moment of biochemistry.

What knowledge have you connected with past knowledge?

Each lecture of biochem has so far been a review of what has already been briefly touched on in general biology or in general chemistry, however, goes in to much greater detail and allows me to relate more concepts together that possibly were not as clear when I first heard of them. In the first week of class we thoroughly studied water and it's important properties pertaining to biochemistry. Not too much of a connection here with other knowledge because the basis of what was covered was mainly review from previous courses. The review did go into detail of what was already known but was forgotten. For instance, the interactions of water and other molecules as well as the solubility of water and it's properties. The second lecture we started in on talking about amino acids and proteins. This was also a review, at the beginning, but then went into a greater amount of detail about the forms of amino acids and the prevailing structures of proteins. Much of my past knowledge used in this section of study was gathered from general chemistry lab when we would practice titration using buffers and then having to graph the concentration vs. pH levels. One other thing I remember about common relations on this topic was how some everyday spoken proteins come about such as MSG (monosodium glutamate from glutamic acid) found in food to enhance flavor and histamine (converted from histadine) that is a natural immune response in our respiratory system. The following topic we went into was about proteins as enzymes. The previous knowledge that I had recollect was the action presented by a catalyst. Catalyst are a more efficient way to use in a reaction. This I remember from both general bio and chemistry in lab and lecture.