[aram2189]

I am currently searching for a textbook for an undergraduate biochemistry course. Currently at my institution biochemistry is divided into three courses and the textbook that was required in the first course is now obsolete in the second course (metabolic pathways). The professor consistently says the chemical mechanisms shown in the textbook are no longer accepted or incorrect. The textbook is Biochemistry by Berg seventh edition. Can someone please offer alternatives that are more up to date with the chemical mechanisms.

[Arkcon]

I suppose the simplest answer is the most recent version of that author's textbook.  To give a more involved answer, I'd like a better explanation of the premise:

The professor consistently says the chemical mechanisms shown in the textbook are no longer accepted or incorrect

Umm ... huh?  The standard biochemical reactions, such as glycolosis, the Kreb's cycle, and the like?  Those have been well defined and verified for decades.  I'm pretty sure my Zubay textbook, back in 1994, explicitly said the pathways were done, and modern work is focused more on determining triggers for various side reactions, as a way of better understanding metabolism.

Then again, 18th century scientists in Britain lamented that, with Newton's work, everything was known, and nothing was left to learn.  They were wrong, so maybe there needs to be a real paradigm shift in our knowledge of biochemistry.  I'd still like a specific example, 'tho.

[Babcock_Hall]

Mechanisms may refer to the steps catalyzed by a single enzyme, as opposed to the intermediates in a pathway.  However, I would like to know more about what the professor means also.  Didn't he or she specify a textbook?  BTW, there is no reason to think that the mechanisms in an undergraduate text would always exactly match those that one might find in a graduate enzymology textbook.

[aram2189]

I would like to first apologize for the late reply. As Babcock_Hall said earlier by mechanisms I am referring to:

...steps catalyzed by a single enzyme, as opposed to the intermediates in a pathway.

or if you will the arrow pushing mechanism of said metabolic reactions. Also to clarify the professor did not recommend the textbook. As I said earlier Biochemistry is divided into three courses at my school, Biochemical Structure and Function, Biochemical Energetics and Metabolism, and Biosynthesis of Macromolecules. The textbook served me well in the first and last course stated above however for the current course I am taking, Biochemical Energetics and Metabolism, the textbook is hardly used. Comparing my notes from lecture to the textbook I can say that some of the mechanisms are identical, some are similar with omission of the actual enzyme taking place in the reaction (ie rather than a Histidine residue donating a proton to oxaloacetate, oxaloacetate becomes protonated from a free proton) and others are quite different. Babcock_Hall, you mentioned a graduate enzymology textbook, what would you recommend? I know that I can just as easily google it and find a list of textbooks, but is there any in particular that you prefer?

[Babcock_Hall]

Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms by Frey and Hegeman (2007).  Unfortunately, the market is so small that new books only come out very infrequently.  The previous book that was totally focused on mechanisms was from about 1979 by Christopher Walsh.  As a general biochemistry textbook, Nelson and Cox or Voet and Voet are both good choices IMO.

[mohaah2]

I am currently trying to work on studying biochemistry and I wanted some suggestions for well-written books that I could use to self-study. The reason I want to study this current topic is just that I am really bored in my chem course and I want to advance and if I have any questions I could just ask my professor or a biochem professor

[Babcock_Hall]

What chemistry course are you in right now?  Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry is well written.