M.Sc in Biochemistry Entrance exam consists of objective and subjective type questions from Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics and Biochemistry. Physical Chemistry includes topics like Behaviour of Gases, Electrolytes, Acids, Bases, Buffer, Laws of Thermodynamics, Thermochemistry, Chemical Kinetics and Photochemistry. Organic Chemistry syllabus includes Ketones, Alkyl Halides, Alkenes, Alkanes, Alchohols, Aldehydes, Carboxylic Acid, Amines and Amides.

Structure of Cell, Cell Nucleus, Different processes in Cell, DNA, RNA and Genetic Code are included in Cell Biology. Genetics includes Mendelian Analysis, Chromosome Theory of Inheritance, Extension of Mendelian Analysis, Chormosomes Structure and Mutations, Extrachromosomal Inheritance, Microbial Genetics and Nature of Gene and Basic Genetic Engineering. Biochemistry includes Concept of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Structure, Enzymology and Utilization of Energy.

Detailed Syllabus of M.Sc in Biochemistry Course

Physical Chemistry

Behaviour of Gases

• Kinetic theory of gases
• Absolute temperature scale
• Ideal and real gas laws
• Graham’s law of diffusion and its application to biological problems
• Solution of Electrolytes
• Pressure and volume concept
• Equation of state
• Dalton’s law of partial pressure

Non volatile and volatile electrolytes

• Definition and type of solution
• Colligative properties
• Activity and activity coefficient
• Elevation of boiling point
• Laws of osmotic pressure
• Determination of molecular weight
• Osmotic behaviour of living cells
• Expressing the concentration of solution
• Roults’ law and molecular weight of the solute
• Depression of freezing point
• Vant Hoff theory of dilution
• Theoretical explanation of osmosis
• Tonicity
• Turgor pressure

Acid, Bases and Buffers

• Definition of pH
• Effect of pH on protoplasmic components
• Biological relevance of pH
• pH indicators
• Ionization of water
• Exact treatment of the ionization of monoprotic acid in water
• Arrhenius concept
• Relation between initial acid concentration
• Henderson-Hasselbalch equation
• Titration of strong and weak acids with strong base
• Salt hydrolysis
• Exact treatment of the ionization of diprotic acid
• Exact treatment of Bronsted lowery type monobase
• Buffering range
• Buffering capacity

Ist Law of Thermodynamics and Thermo chemistry

• First law of thermodynamics
• Relation between Cp and Cv in gaseous system
• Energy changes in relation to changes in properties of the system
• Enthalpy of a system
• Change of internal energy and enthalpy in a chemical reaction
• Determination of heats of reactions
• Heat of formation, neutralisation, dilution and precipitations
• Kirchoff’s law
• Bomb Calorimeter and Dewar vacuum flask

Laws of Thermodynamics

• Need and statement of the 2nd law
• Concept of entropy
• Helmholtz and Gibbs free energy functions
• Maxwell’s relationships
• Gibbs Helmoholtz equation
• Gibbs-Duhem equation
• Conditions for equilibrium and spontaneity
• Law of mass action
• Van’t Hoff-isotherm and law of chemical equilibrium
• Dependence of equilibrium constant with temperature and pressure
• Calapeyron-Clausius equation
• Determination of fugacity and activity coefficient
• Third law of thermodynamics
• Variation of entropy with temperature
• Determination of absolute entropies of liquids and gases
• Applications of the III law of thermodynamics

Chemical Kinetics and Photochemistry

• Reaction rate, order and molecularity
• Collision and absolute theory of reaction rates
• Factors influencing rates of reactions
• Zero, I and II order reaction with examples
• Mathematical treatments of rate constants of I and II order reactions
• Calculation of activation energy

Organic Chemistry

Structure and Properties

• Electronic configuration
• Atomic and Molecular orbitals
• Hybrid orbitals: sp, sp2 and sp3
• Intermolecular forces
• Covalent bond
• Melting point
• Boiling point
• Solubility
• Acid and Base in organic chemistry

Alkanes and Radical reactions

• Structure of methane, ethane, propane and butane
• Production and reaction of radicals
• Homolytic bond dissociation energies
• Reactions of alkanes
• Halogenation of methane
• Halogenation of higher alkanes
• Selectivity of bromine
• Radical chain reactions

Alkyl halides and Ionic reactions

• Structure, classification, nomenclature and physical properties of Alkyl halides
• Reactions of Alkyl halides
• Elimination reactions of Alkyl halides
• SNI and SN2 reactions
• Factors affecting rates of SNI and SN2 reactions
• Carbonations

Alkenes

• Reactions of Alkenes
• Carbon-Carbon double bond
• Structure of ethylene, propylene and butylenes
• Substitution reactions and cleavage of Alkenes
• Preparation of alcohols
• Geometric isometric isomerism
• Oxymercuration-demercuration and hydroboration oxidation processes

Alcohols

• Structure and Nomenclature, Physical properties of Alcohols
• Chemistry of OH group
• Conversions of alcohols into mesylates, tosylates, alkyl halide and alkyl phosphates
• Dehydration of alcohols
• Intermolecular dehydration
• Reactions of Alcohols
• Synthesis of ethers from alcohols
• Williamson synthesis
• Methods of protecting –OH group
• Oxidation of alcohols

Aldyehydes and Ketones

• Structure, Nomenclature and Physical properties of Aldyehydes and Ketones
• Nucleophilic addition to carbon-oxygen double bond
• Reaction of Aldehydes and Ketones
• Reduction to alcohols and hydrocarbons
• Reductive emanation
• Addition of water and alcohols
• Additions of derivatives of ammonia
• Addition of hydrogen cyanide and sodium bisulphite
• Addition of Halides

Carboxylic acids and their Derivatives

• Structure, Nomenclature, Physical properties and Acidity of carboxylic acids
• Reactions of carboxylic acids
• Substitution in alkyl or aryl group
• Decarboxylation of carboxylic acids
• Reactions of acyl chloride and acid anhydride
• Reaction of Esters
• Reduction to alcohols
• Reactions with carbanion

Amines and Amides

• Structure, Nomenclature, Physical properties and Basicity of Amines
• Oxidation
• Reactions of Amines with nitrous acid
• Replacement and coupling reactions of Arenediazonium salts
• Conversion to amides and sulfonamides
• Hofmann and Cope eliminations
• Reactions of Amides

Cell Biology

Basic Structure of Cell

• Cell as a basic unit of living system
• Biochemical composition of cell
• Cell theory
• Ultra structure of cell
• Membrane composition
• Early studies on Plasma Membrane
• Membrane functions

Internal structure of cell and its functions

• Structure and Function of the Endoplasmic reticulum
• Golgi complex
• Evolution of mitochondria and chloroplast
• Lysosome
• Ribosome
• Photosynthetic process

Cell Nucleus

• Structure and Function of Nucleus
• Nucleosome and chromosome
• Structure of Chromatin
• Mitosis and Meiosis
• Cell cycle
• Nuclear envelope

Different processes in Cell

• Cell-cell interaction
• Cell locomotion
• Cell senescence and death
• Cell differentiation

DNA and RNA

• Nucleic acids
• Structure of DNA
• DNA replication
• Transcription and Post transcriptional modifications
• Discovery of transformation and experiment of Hershey & Chase
• Structure and types of RNA
• Capping and splicing
• Polyadenylation
• Methylation

Genetic Code

• Evidence and Essentiality of Condon
• Start and stop condones
• Overlapping genes and reading frames
• Universality of genetic code
• Triplet code
• Protein synthesis
• Mechanism in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
• Post translational modification and cell secretion

Genetics

Mendelian Analysis, Chromosome Theory of Inheritance

• Genotype and phenotype
• Experiments of Mendel
• Chromosome theory of inheritances
• Work of TH Morgan
• Work of Calvin Bridges
• X-linked inheritance genetics and sexual cycle in haploids
• Alternating haploids diploids
• Linkage, mapping genes, interference, coincidence in pro- and eukaryotes

Extension of Mendelian Analysis

• Variation of dominance relations
• Lethal genes
• Balance lethal system
• Penetrance and expressivity
• Segregation distortion
• Gene interaction
• Epistasis
• Additivity
• Interaction between more than two gene pairs
• Modifiers Linkage and Recombination

Chormosomes Structure and Mutations

• Structural organisation of chromatin
• Structure of Chromosome
• Structural and numerical aberrations involving chromosomes
• Translocation
• Spontaneous and induced mutations
• Chemical and physical mutagens

Extrachromosomal Inheritance

• Mitochondrial and chloroplast genetic system
• Cytoplasmic Inheritance
• Male sterility and maternal effects
• Extra nuclear genomes
• Population genetics

Microbial Geneticcs

• Conjugation
• Transduction
• Transformation

Nature of Gene and Basic Genetic Engineering

• One gene one enzyme hypothesis
• Gene-protein relation
• Manipulation of DNA
• Restriction enzymes
• Recombinant DNA
• Vectors and cloning strategies
• PCR technology

Biochemistry

Concept of Biochemistry

• Definition and scope of biochemistry
• Units of length used in biochemistry
• ATP-ADP cycle

Biomolecular Structure

• Proteins and Amino Acids
• Nucleic Acids
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids

Enzymology

• Nature of enzyme catalysis
• Naming of enzymes
• Michaelis-Menten concept of enzyme action
• Active binding and catalytic sites
• Factors affecting enzymes catalyzed reactions
• Control of enzyme activity
• Multi enzyme systems
• Metabolic Generation of Energy
• Energy relationship between catabolic and anabolic pathways
• Stages in the extraction of energy from food stuff
• Generalized concept of glycolysis
• Kreb’s cycle
• Glycogen synthesis
• Oxidative phosphorylation and electron transport chain

Utilization of Energy

• Energy utilization in anabolic processes
• Dark reaction of photosynthesis
• Biosynthesis for storage

As the syllabus is vast, candidates should concentrate on the main topics rather than going through everything in detail. Referring previous year questions paper will definitely help you to identify the main topics which are usually covered for this exam.