PROFESSOR: Dr. S. Lee (splee@sfu.ca)                          OFFICE: SSB 7107 (Phone: 291-4291)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Tremendous inroads have been made in characterizing plant biochemical processes. The direction of plant biochemistry research has been strongly influenced by the fact that many of the plant products have significant pharmacological value. Plant products such as vinca alkaloids, taxol and soybean flavonoids have established or potential efficacy in the treatment or prevention of various cancers. There is also a strong impetus to increase the nutritional quality of agricultural crops in third world countries. This has led scientists to closely analyze plant metabolic processes which may be suitable for modification via conventional breeding or biotechnological methods. This course will present an overview of the biochemistry of plant carbohydrates, lipids, isoprenoids and phenylpropanoid products and to explore their uses.

COURSE OUTLINE:

1. Review of basic organic chemistry nomenclature.

2. Carbohydrates.

   A. Metabolism.
   B. Food and fibre.

3. Lipids.

   A. Metabolism.
   B. Seeds.

4. Isoprenoids.

   A. Metabolism.
   B. Sterols.
   C. Carotenoids.
   D. Rubber.
   E. Alkaloids.

5. Phenylpropanoid metabolism.

   A. General pathway.
   B. Lignins.
   C. Phytoalexins.
   D. Flavonols.
   E. Anthocyanins.

PREREQUISITES: BISC 366 (Plant Physiology) or by permission of the instructor.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: TBA

BASIS OF MARKS: Midterm (33%), Paper (33%), Final (33%)