Biochemistry: The Molecular Basis of Life - Softcover

McKee, Gertrude; McKee, James

9780199730971: Biochemistry: The Molecular Basis of Life

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199730970 ISBN 13: 9780199730971

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011

Biochemistry: The Molecular Basis of Life is the ideal text for students who do not specialize in biochemistry but who require a strong grasp of biochemical principles. The goal of this edition has been to enrich the coverage of chemistry while better highlighting the biological context. Once concepts and problem-solving skills have been mastered, students are prepared to tackle the complexities of science, modern life, and their chosen professions.
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Distinctive Features
*A Review of Basic Principles. To ensure that all students are sufficiently prepared for acquiring a meaningful understanding of biochemistry, the first four chapters - now streamlined for easier coverage and self-study assignment - review the principles of relevant topics such as organic functional groups, noncovalent bonding, thermodynamics, and cell structure.
*Chemical and Biological Principles in Balance. Comprehensive coverage offers the flexibility for each instructor to decide how much chemistry or biology to present. Chemical mechanisms are always presented within the physiological context of the organism.
*Real-World Relevance. Because students who take the survey of biochemistry course come from a range of backgrounds and have diverse career goals, the fifth edition consistently demonstrates the fascinating connections between biochemical principles and the fields of medicine, nutrition, agriculture, bioengineering, and forensics.
*The most robust Problem-Solving Program available.
In-chapter "Worked Problems" illustrate how quantitative problems are solved, and dozens of "Questions" interspersed throughout the chapters provide students with opportunities to put their knowledge into action right when new concepts and high-interest topics are introduced. Chapter overviews, end-of-chapter "Review Questions" and "Thought Questions," and key-word lists help students grasp the big picture in each chapter.
*Simple, Clear Illustrations. Biochemical concepts often require a high degree of visualization, and the McKee & McKee art program brings complex processes to life. Over 700 full-color figures, many newly enhanced for a more vivid presentation in three dimensions and consistent scale and color for chemical structures.
*Currency. The fifth edition has been extensively updated with recent developments in the field, while remaining focused on the "big-picture" principles that are the focus of the one-term biochemistry course.
New to this Edition
*Chapter-opening Vignettes, an all-new feature of the fifth edition, give biological motivation. These 19 essays include the nature and diversity of life, the ocean's dark secret life, spider silk, humans and enzymes, sweet and bitter taste in diet, metabolism and jet engines, evolution as chance and necessity, oxygen's molecular paradox, global warming and renewable energy, the Gulf dead zone, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's, hypertension and uric acid, what makes us human, the medical mystery of DNA and chimeras, and the superbug MRSA
*New "Biochemistry in Perspective" boxes (9 new in all) on cell regulation and metabolism, protein folding and human disease, quantum tunneling and catalysis, wine production, turbo design dangers, myocardial infarct, the hormone cascade system, and trapped ribosomes
*New "Biochemistry in the Lab" boxes on protein sequence analysis and glycomics
*Beefed-up chemical coverage with increased emphasis on mechanisms
*Enhanced coverage of cutting-edge topics including RNAi, epigenetics and the epigenome, macromolecular crowding, GLUT transporters, systems biology, and the contribution of dietary fructose to the current epidemics of obesity and type II diabetes
*"Key Concept" icons, plus additional icons for biomedical applications with new labels identifying the application. Other icons point to JMOL visualization software.
*20% more end-of-chapter review and thought questions that were already doubled in number and expanded in range of difficulty in the fourth edition
*Updated coverage of coenzymes, viruses, and biotechnology
*Extended coverage of amino acids, proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and genetic information--the basic building blocks--and trimmed down coverage of metabolism (especially nitrogen metabolism)
*The entire text is now tied to NEW Sapling Learning online homework system! Oxford University Press has partnered with Sapling Learning to produce an online homework and instructional solution for Biochemistry: The Molecular Basis of Life textbook. The text that presents the coverage you need with the relevance your students want is now available with the most powerful online homework system in the industry.

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About the Author:

Gertrude McKee is a biochemist, who taught Biochemistry at Thomas Jefferson University, Rosemont College, and Immaculata College. James McKee is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, PA.

Review:

"The authors' emphasis on the integration of biochemical facts into a biological context is excellent. I welcome the increased depth of chemistry coverage emphasizing the most important reactions. I also welcome the increased connection between biochemistry and human biology. This edition is evolving beautifully. . . . From what I'veseen, I prefer the new McKee textbook to the book that I am currently using." --Christine A. Hrycyna, Purdue University

"This text stands out because of its ability to relate human biology and disorders to the understanding of key biochemical concepts. My students appreciate the 'Biochemistry in Perspective' essays in each chapter. Once again McKee has done a fabulous job of providing clear illustrations. I feel the fifth edition has done very well in balancing both the chemical and biological concepts. The revisions will make this great textbook even better!" --Anjuli Datta, Pennsylvania State University

"The emphasis on the integration of biochemical facts into a biological context to me is the most important goal. In this manner students can derive the connection between the facts and how they lead to elucidating the principle of the topic being introduced. I like the style: it begins with very simple down-to-earth discussion and gradually gets into the more complex and sophisticated aspects. The vignettes at the beginning of the chapters and the use of Thought Questions at the end are very appealing. The introduction and discussion of a disease directly related to the topic being discussed will stimulate students' interest."--Ralph A. Stephani, St. Johns University

"I love the figures, the mechanistic details, and the summaries at the end of the chapters. I like that they are increasing the chemistry. I really like the format of the questions at the end of the chapter. They start out easy and build up in complexity. The Thought Questions push the students to look at the big picture. My students really like the Biochemistry in the Lab sections. They get excited about the connection to current research." --Tamara L., Hendrickson, Wayne State University

"I have always appreciated the balance in previous editions, and the inclusion of more chemistry (enzyme mechanisms) is great! Increased relevance is important, too! I appreciate the inclusion of systems biology topics and macromolecular crowding. Essays and boxes add just the right flavor to the text to make it really come alive in a practical kind of way. It is the best one-semester biochemistry book available."--Randolph A. Coleman, College of William & Mary

"This text stands out because of its ability to relate human biology and related human disorders in order to facilitate the understanding of key biochemical concepts. My students appreciate the Biochemistry in Perspective essays in each chapter. The new revisions will make this great textbook even better!"--Bhaskar Datta, Missouri State University

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.