Biochemistry

Fundamentals of atomic structure, including periodic table trends such as atomic radius and ionization energy.

Types of chemical bonds (covalent, ionic, polar, nonpolar) and the concept of Lewis structures.

Basic principles of stoichiometry, including mole-to-mole conversions and balancing chemical equations.

Study of heat energy changes in reactions, including enthalpy, heat capacity, and Hess's Law.

Overview of protein structure, including primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary levels.

Types and properties of amino acids, including L- and D-forms, polarity, essential vs non-essential, and classification by charge and polarity.

Study of enzyme activity, including Michaelis–Menten kinetics, enzyme inhibition, and allosteric regulation.

Methods used to study proteins, such as electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing.

Structure and metabolism of carbohydrates, including monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, and metabolic pathways like glycolysis.

Types of lipids (fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, steroids) and their metabolic pathways, including beta-oxidation and fatty acid synthesis.

ATP synthesis through glycolysis, citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.

Mechanisms of ATP production in mitochondria, including the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.

Study of energy changes in biochemical systems, including Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy.

Overview of DNA and RNA structures, including base pairing and differences between the two molecules.

Mechanisms of DNA replication, including the roles of DNA polymerase, replication fork, and repair mechanisms.

Processes of RNA transcription and protein translation, including the roles of RNA polymerase, ribosomes, and tRNA.

Post-transcriptional modifications of mRNA, including capping, polyadenylation, and splicing.

Basic principles of inheritance, including genotype vs phenotype and Punnett squares.

Mechanisms of meiosis, including chromosome segregation and recombination.

Types of genetic mutations, including point mutations, insertions, deletions, and frameshifts.