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Biochemistry
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{{Short description|Study of chemical processes in living organisms}} {{redir2|Biological chemistry|Physiological chemistry|the journals|Biochemistry (journal){{!}}''Biochemistry'' (journal)|and|Biological Chemistry (journal){{!}}''Biological Chemistry'' (journal)}} {{for|the textbook by Lubert Stryer|Biochemistry (book){{!}}''Biochemistry'' (book)}} {{Biochemistry sidebar}} '''Biochemistry''', or '''biological chemistry''', is the study of [[chemical process]]es within and relating to living [[organism]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/areas-of-chemistry/biological-biochemistry.html.html|title=Biological/Biochemistry|work=acs.org|access-date=2016-01-04|archive-date=2019-08-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821192332/https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/areas-of-chemistry/biological-biochemistry.html.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A sub-discipline of both [[chemistry]] and [[biology]], biochemistry may be divided into three fields: [[structural biology]], [[enzymology]], and [[metabolism]]. Over the last decades of the 20th century, biochemistry has become successful at explaining living processes through these three disciplines. Almost all [[List of life sciences|areas of the life sciences]] are being uncovered and developed through biochemical methodology and research.<ref name="Voet_2005">[[#Voet|Voet]] (2005), p. 3.</ref> Biochemistry focuses on understanding the chemical basis that allows [[biomolecule|biological molecules]] to give rise to the processes that occur within living [[Cell (biology)|cells]] and between cells,<ref name="Karp2009">[[#Karp|Karp]] (2009), p. 2.</ref> in turn relating greatly to the understanding of [[tissue (biology)|tissues]] and [[organ (anatomy)|organs]] as well as organism structure and function.<ref name="MillerSpoolman2012">[[#Miller|Miller]] (2012). p. 62.</ref> Biochemistry is closely related to [[molecular biology]], the study of the [[molecule|molecular]] mechanisms of biological phenomena.<ref name="fn_1">[[#Astbury|Astbury]] (1961), p. 1124.</ref> Much of biochemistry deals with the structures, functions, and interactions of biological [[macromolecule]]s such as [[protein]]s, [[nucleic acid]]s, [[carbohydrate]]s, and [[lipid]]s. They provide the structure of cells and perform many of the functions associated with life.<ref name="Biology">[[#Eldra|Eldra]] (2007), p. 45.</ref> The chemistry of the cell also depends upon the reactions of small [[molecule]]s and [[ion]]s. These can be [[inorganic]] (for example, [[water]] and [[metal]] ions) or [[Organic compound|organic]] (for example, the [[amino acid]]s, which are used to [[Protein biosynthesis|synthesize proteins]]).<ref name="Marks">[[#Marks|Marks]] (2012), Chapter 14.</ref> The mechanisms used by [[Cell energy|cells to harness energy]] from their environment via [[chemical reaction]]s are known as [[metabolism]]. The findings of biochemistry are applied primarily in [[medicine]], [[nutrition]], and [[agriculture]]. In medicine, [[biochemist]]s investigate the causes and [[Pharmaceutical drug|cures]] of [[disease]]s.<ref>[[#Finkel|Finkel]] (2009), pp. 1β4.</ref> Nutrition studies how to maintain health and wellness and also the effects of [[nutritional deficiencies]].<ref name="FFL2010">[[#UNICEF|UNICEF]] (2010), pp. 61, 75.</ref> In agriculture, biochemists investigate [[soil]] and [[fertilizer]]s with the goal of improving crop cultivation, crop storage, and [[pest control]]. In recent decades, biochemical principles and methods have been combined with problem-solving approaches from [[engineering]] to manipulate living systems in order to produce useful tools for research, industrial processes, and diagnosis and control of disease{{mdash}}the discipline of [[biotechnology]].
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