Biochemistry, 9th Edition

It has always been our goal to help students connect biochemistry to their own lives and the world around them. We use an evolutionary perspective to reveal the threads that bind organisms, clinical applications to show physiological relevance, and biotechnological applications to show how biochemistry is used to improve our lives.

•  Evolutionary perspective. The French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “Evolution is a light which illuminates all facts, a trajectory which all lines of thought must follow—this is what evolution is.” We recognize that evolution shapes every pathway and molecular structure described in this text. Thus, we have integrated discussions of evolution throughout the narrative. To further emphasize the primacy of evolution in the context of the processes and molecules discussed, we use a phylogenetic tree as a marker to highlight important milestones in the evolution of life. (For a full list of these Molecular Evolution highlights, see p. xiii.)
  

•  Physiological relevance. Pathways and processes are presented in a physiological context so students can see how biochemistry works in the body when it is at rest and during exercise, and in health, disease, and under stress. Many of these examples are highlighted with the caduceus symbol. (For a full list of these Clinical Applications, see p. xiv.)
•  New! Industrial Applications. Biochemistry is an essential tool in numerous industries, such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy, and agriculture. Examples of industrial biochemistry are highlighted with the test tube icon. (For a full list of these highlighted Industry Applications, see p. xvi.)

Straightforward Art Program

• Clear writing and straightforward illustrations. The language of biochemistry is made accessible for students learning the subject for the first time. We present a logical flow of ideas, clearly written text, and informative figures to help students grasp and retain biochemical concepts and details.
• One idea at a time. Each figure illustrates a single concept, which helps students zoom in on the main points without the distraction of excess detail.

In developing a ninth edition of Berg/Tymoczko/Gatto/Stryer we stayed true to the integrity of the original Stryer text and focused on three specific areas to help biochemistry students manage the complexity of the course, engage with the material, and become more proficient problem solvers.

• Integrated text and media
• Promote effective problem solving
• Provide tools and resources for active learning

Biochemistry is an exciting and dynamic field of study. Two ways in which we highlight recent discoveries are:

• Macromolecular Structures. Beautifully rendered art depicting structures and structural models were prepared by Jeremy Berg and Gregory Gatto, based on the latest x-ray crystallographic, NMR, and cryo-electron microscopy data. For most molecular models, the PDB number at the end of the figure gives the student easy access to the file used in generating the structure (www.pdb.org).
• NEW! Biochemistry in Focus. Thirty-three vignettes focus on fascinating discoveries, current research methods, and curious phenomena illuminated by biochemistry. (For a full list of the Biochemistry in Focus features, see p. xvii.)

In this edition of Biochemistry we have updated examples and explanations to provide the latest and most interesting discoveries in biochemistry, along with material essential for understanding biochemical concepts. Some of these new topics are:

• A review of functional groups that play major roles in biochemical reactions (Chapter 1)
• Explanation of co-immunoprecipitation for isolating a protein and its binding partners (Chapter 3)
• Explanation of cryo-electron microscopy for determining macromolecular structures (Chapter 3)
• Extrachromosomal circular DNA molecules have been discovered in eukaryotic nuclei (Chapter 4)
• An expanded discussion of the genome sequencing method, pyrosequencing (Chapter 5)
  

• The CRISPR-Cas9 method and other naturally occurring gene editing methods (Chapter 5)
• Updated discussion of SCID includes the use of Strimvelis gene therapy (Chapter 5)
• Industry Application: Hydrolytic enzymes are being used to reduce the waste stream and generate methane for electricity (Chapter 8)
• Clinical Application: Mutations in protein kinase A can cause Cushing Syndrome (Chapter 10)
• Clinical Application: Exercise modifies the phosphorylation state of many proteins (Chapter 10)
• Serpins can be degraded by an isozyme of trypsin (Chapter 10)
• Clinical Application: Oligosaccharides in milk protect newborns against infection (Chapter 11)
• Industrial Application: Chitin and chitosan have a thousand-and-one uses (Chapter 11)
• Clinical Application: Myelination of neurons in health and disease (Chapter 12)
• Updates on how the acetylcholine receptor opens and closes based on cryo-electron microscopic data (Chapter 13)
• ATP has a role as a hydrotrope that prevents intracellular protein aggregation (Chapter 15)
• Structural and biochemical data are revealing new examples of massive enzyme complexes in metabolic pathways (Chapters 15–18)
• Clinical Application: Cancer cells hijack acetyl CoA acetyltransferase and inhibit pyruvate dehydrogenase (Chapter 17)
• Industrial Application: Genetic engineering is being used to introduce uncoupling protein-1 into pig embryos (Chapter 18)
• Industrial Application: Artificial photosynthesis systems may provide clean renewable energy (Chapter 19)
• Updated discussion of the evolution and enzymology of C₄ plants (Chapter 20)
• An isozyme of glycogen phosphorylase exists in the brain (Chapter 21)
• Clinical Application: Liver’s role in lipid metabolism is readily disrupted by ethanol (Chapter 22)
• Ketogenic diets reduce epileptic seizures by altering the gut microbiome (Chapter 22)
• Updated structural information on mammalian fatty acid synthase (Chapter 22)
• Industrial Application: Enlisting microbes for the generation of triacylglycerols to be used to produce biodiesel (Chapter 22)
• AMP-activated protein kinase is a key regulator of metabolism (Chapter 22)
• Protein metabolism helps to power the flight of migratory birds (Chapter 23)
• Amino acids are precursors for a number of neurotransmitters (Chapter 24)
• Clinical Application: A Niemann-Pick disease is caused by failure to transport cholesterol from the lysosome (Chapter 26)
• Five-carbon units are joined to form a wide variety of biomolecules (Chapter 26)
• Industrial Application: Genetically engineered farnesene improves the profitability of its industrial uses (Chapter 26)
• Updated model of the spliceosome based on cryo-electron microscopy (Chapter 30)
• Cryo-electron microscopy reveals the existence of a bacterial expressome (Chapter 31)
• Expanded discussion on toxins that block protein synthesis (Chapter 31)
• Clinical Application: The problems with biofilms (Chapter 32)
• Posttranslational control of ATP synthase production ensures proper stoichiometry (Chapter 32)
• Cryo-electron microscopy is revealing the molecular details of mediator’s interactions with the transcription complex (Chapter 33)
• Updates on the histone code’s control of transcriptional repression (Chapter 33)