Introduction to Metabolism

This lecture covers the fundamental concepts of metabolism, including the definition of metabolism as the set of biochemical reactions in an organism aimed at transforming energy for the synthesis of precursors and biomolecules. It explains the organization of life chemistry into metabolic pathways, the complexity of metabolic pathways, the circulation of energy in an ecosystem, and the principles of bioenergetics based on the laws of thermodynamics. The lecture also delves into the role of ATP in cellular work, the structure and hydrolysis of ATP, and how enzymes accelerate metabolic reactions by lowering the activation energy barrier. It concludes with a discussion on the regulation of enzymatic activity and the importance of enzyme specificity, cofactors, and enzyme inhibitors.