Final exam

General remarks on the final exam:

Studying Biochemistry ends with a final examination (6 credits). Requirements of taking part on the final exam are the successful completion of all requirements of both Biochemistry 1. and 2. courses and completion of Chemistry 2. exam.

The grade of the final exam on Biochemisty will be evaluated based on four partial grades as follows:

• Practical course grade: determined based on the sum of the points completed on the practicals and midterm of Biochemistry 2. as follows:

51 – 55 points:    excellent (5)

45 – 50 points:    good (4)

40 – 44 points:    medium (3)

33 – 39 points:    satisfactory (2)

• Grade of the Written part of the exam
• Oral exam: grades given for the two topics

The grade of the final exam will be determined by the examiner based on the 4 partial grades (practical course grade, grade of the written part of the exam, grades given for the two topics of the oral exam). The grade of the final exam is not calculated automatically as a mean of the partial grades.

Written part of the exam:

In the winter exam period at least 4 dates will be provided for the written part of the exam. The dates will be determined after consultation with the students and will be announced during the semester. At least two dates will be offered in the autumn and the spring semester for inactive students and in the May/June and August/September exam periods as well. Altogether 4 chances are given for inactive students to try the written part of the exam during an inactive year.

Registration for the written part of the exam is possible only via the Neptun system. After registration for the exam the student can modify or delete the date in the Neptun system until the working day before exam till 10.00 a.m.

The following topics will be included in the written part of the exam:

The written part of the final exam consists of „A” and „B” and „C” parts covering the following theoretical topics:

Topics of exam part „A”:

· Millieu enterieur, general factors of homeostasis. Isovolemia, isotonia, isoionia, isohydria. Buffer systems.

· Structure of the biological membranes. Transports across the biological membranes.

· Classification and structure of proteinogenic amino acids.

· General characteristics of proteins.

· Peptide bond. Structure of proteins. Denaturation and renaturation of proteins. Classification of proteins. Collagen, elastin, keratin.

· Characterization of enzymes. Mechanism of enzyme action. Reversibility of enzymatic reactions.

· The velocity of enzymatic reactions and factors influencing it. Regulation of enzyme activities. Zymogens, isoenzymes. Nomenclature, classification and cellular localization of enzymes.

· Chemistry of carbohydrates (monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, homo- and heteropolysaccharides).

· Biochemical role and structure of lipids.

· Biochemistry of glycerol phosphatides and sphingolipids.

Topics of exam part „B”:

· Structure of nucleotides. Structure and function of DNA.

· Replication of DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Mutations, repair mechanisms.

· Transcription and its regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Influence on gene expression. Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms.

· Structure of the ribosomes. Activation of amino acids. Initiation, elongation and termination of the translation. Posttranslational modifications and transport of proteins.

· Theoretical background of recombinant DNA technology.

Exam part „C”:

Most important chemical structures (the List is downloadable)

The structure of the written part of the final exam:

1. Single choice questions (1 point for each correct answer):

Exam part „A”: 20 correct answers, 20 points

·Exam part „B”: 20 correct answers, 20 points

2. Exam part „C”: Chemical structures: recognize the given structures : 10 structures, 10 points (1 point/chemical name)

The rules of the written part of the exam are the same as the rules of the midterm. Students have 75 minutes to work on it. The written part of the exam is accepted if the student completes 60% (30 points) of the maximal scores (50 points), further completes in each exam parts („A”, „B” and „C”) 60-60-60% (that means in exam parts „A” at least 12 points, in exam part „B” at least 12 points and in exam part „C” at least 6 points. The results of the written part of the exam will be found on the homepage of the Division. and on the billboard at the entrance of the building not later then the first working day after the exam. The written part of the exam is on display in a limited interval. The date and time of display are announced with results. No further possibility is given to see the tests.

Evaluation of the written part of the exam:

45 – 50 points: excellent (5)

40 – 44 points:     good (4)

35 – 39 points:     medium (3)

30 – 34 points:     satisfactory (2)

0 – 29 points:       unsatisfactory (1)

 

The student can register for the oral exam if the written part of the exam is succeeded. If the written part of the exam is failed or the student does not appear on the exam (after valid registration), the student misses one chance for the written part of the exam and he/she can register for a next date in the exam period. Every failed written part of the exam reduces the number of chances for the written part of the exam. In one exam period the student has the following number of chances: : 3 chances in the May/June exam period and 2 additional chances in the August/September exam period, to complete the written part of the exam. If the student cannot take part on the exam in the May/June exam period due to any reasons, the 3 chances for this exam period are lost, and only 2 chances are remaining for the August/September exam period.

The grade of a successful written part of the exam can be included in the final grade in any of the following exam periods. If the student passed the written part of the exam, it is possible to retake it once on a next date, but in this case the final grade will be evaluated based on the grade of the retake of the written exam. Retake of a successful written exam does not reduce the number of chance for the written part of the exam. After successful oral exam, the written part of the exam cannot be repeated.

Students exempted from Biochemistry 1. are exempted from the written part of the exam.

Oral exam:

The oral exam can be completed only after a successful written part of the exam, not earlier than the second working day after the written part (there has to be at least one working day between the written and oral exams). After consultation with the students, certain exam dates will be provided by the Division for oral exams. Registration for the oral exam is possible only in the Neptun system.

The oral exams start at 8.00 a.m. on the announced exam days. No tools can be used on the oral exam. The oral exam can be completed only if the student has the “black book” with him/her. The examinees draw one paper sheet with two topics. The students have at least 30 min. to prepare. Then the examinee reports orally about his/her competence regarding the given topics. The goal of the exam is not only to check the lexical knowledge, but to make sure that the student understands the interrelationships between certain topics and he/she can apply his/her knowledge in the future studies as well. Hence, the knowledge of the student can be checked with further questions concerning all topics of Biochemistry 2. and 1. as well (also for students exempted from Biochemistry 1; therefore, it is advised to visit the Biochemistry 1. lectures as well).

Students, attending additional exam “Biochemistry of ruminants and vitamins”, can be also asked concerning topics closely related to ruminants and vitamins, such as the basics of the intermediary metabolism and composition of macromolecules. Therefore, it is advised for these students to visit all the lectures of Veterinary Biochemistry 1. and 2.

If the grade of any oral topics is “unsatisfactory (1)”, the final grade will be “unsatisfactory (1)” independently of the other partial grades. In this case the student has to retake only the oral exam, the result of the written part and the practical course grade will be included in the final grade of the next exam as well.

In one exam period the student has the following number of chances: 3 chances in the May/June exam period and 2 additional chances in the August/September exam period, to complete the oral exam. If the student cannot take part on the exam in the May/June exam period due to any reasons, the 3 chances for this exam period are lost, and only 2 chances are remaining for the August/September exam period. Unsuccessful oral exam can be retaken not earlier than the third day following the unsuccessful exam. If the oral exam is succeeded, there is an opportunity to try to improve the final grade once if the student retakes the oral exam.

Topic list of the oral exam:

Topic list I.
1. Biological oxidation in general. Biochemistry of high-energy phosphate compounds
2. Glycogenesis and glycogenolysis
3. Glycolysis
4. Gluconeogenesis
5. The glycerol phosphate shuttle. The Pasteur effect and the Cori cycle. Oxidation of
pyruvate to acetyl~CoA
6. The citrate cycle
7. The respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation
8. The pentose phosphate pathway
9. Blood glucose level and its regulation
10. Fructose and galactose metabolism
11. Essential and non-essential amino acids. Transamination of amino acids. Oxidative
deamination of amino acids. Reactions of the N-free carbon chain of amino acids
12. Decarboxylation of amino acids. Biogenic amines and their degradation. Glutathione,
carnosine and anserine
13. Detoxification of ammonia
14. Synthesis and degradation of purine nucleotides
15. Synthesis and degradation of pyrimidine nucleotides
16. Structure and biochemical role of haemoglobin. Synthesis of haemoglobin
17. Porphyrin degradation. Myoglobin, cytochromes, catalase, peroxidase. Iron metabolism
18. Absorption and trasport of lipids in the body. Lipolysis and lipogenesis
19. β-oxidation of fatty acids
20. Synthesis of fatty acids
21. Ketogenesis and ketolysis. Biochemical background of ketosis
22. Biochemistry of cholesterol, bile acids and steroid hormones

Topic list II.
1. The central role of the liver in intermediary metabolism
2. Detoxifying activity of the liver
3. Biochemistry of muscle, adipose tissue, kidney and brain
4. Characteristics of carbohydrate metabolism in ruminants
5. Characteristics of nitrogen metabolism in ruminants
6. Biochemical background of ketosis in ruminants
7. Characteristics of lipid metabolism in ruminants. Biochemistry of milk production
8. Vitamins in general. Provitamins, antivitamins
9. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role, deficiency and overdose of vitamin A
10. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role, deficiency and overdose of vitamin D
11. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of vitamin E
12. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of vitamin K
13. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of thiamine
14. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of riboflavin
15. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of nicotinic acid
16. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of pantothenic acid
17. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of pyridoxine
18. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of biotin
19. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of folic acid
20. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of cobalamin
21. Structure, metabolism, biochemical role and deficiency of ascorbic acid
22. Biochemistry of essential fatty acids and lipotropic factors (choline, inositol)