Membrane Biology and Bioenergetics is the sixth core course of B.Sc. (Honours) Biochemistry Programme (BSCBCH) being offered under UGC-CBCS Scheme. The theory course on Membrane Biology and Bioenergetics (BBCCT-111) has a credit weightage worth 4 credits and a separate laboratory course (BBCCL-112) worth 2 credits along with this course.

While preparing this course, we have kept in mind that students joining our B.Sc. (Honours) Biochemistry Programme must have studied Biology, Chemistry and Physics upto 10+2 level. With progress in the modern science, Membrane Biology and Bioenergetics has emerged and developed as a core subject of Biochemistry with simultaneous advances in the field of Microscopy and modern biophysical techniques. These remarkable discovery and their applications in membrane study has added to the understanding of composition and structure of biomembranes, and transport mechanisms across biological membranes. This has yielded more information about the biological events on the membrane surface such as mechanisms of oxidative phosphorylation, and photophosphorylation.

This theory course consists of 4 blocks which contain 12 Units. Each block contains three units. The first two blocks i.e. Block I and Block II deal with membrane structures and its dynamic role in transport and other cellular processes. Other two blocks of this course Block III and Block IV deal with basic concepts of Bioenergetics and the concept and mechanism of ATP synthesis in plants and animals.

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• Describe membrane composition and differentiate between prokaryotic and eukaryotic membrane;

• Identify the salient phospholipids commonly found in biomembranes;

• Describe the significance of membrane asymmetry, and membrane dynamics;

• Discuss transport across membrane and list various transport proteins;

• Outline the significance and molecular mechanisms of vesicular transport;

• Define bioenergetics and outline the significance of various thermodynamic functions;

• Understand the organization of components of respiratory electron transport chain into complexes;

• Explain the mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation and photophosphorylation;

• Describe the photosynthetic apparatus, the chloroplast, along with its photosynthetic pigments; and

• Explain the significance of bacterial photosynthesis and discuss the light harvesting systems in microbes.

If you have any query about this course, please feel free to Contact:

Dr. Maneesha Pandey

Course Coordinator, Membrane Biology and Bioenergetics (BBCCT-111 & BBCCL-112)

Assistant Professor in Biochemistry

Block-D, School of Sciences, Biochemistry Discipline

Email- maneesha@ignou.ac.in