Biosynthesis

In a nutshell, bioinformatics is the use of computers and computer-accessible data to define, study, categorize, and predict features and function of biological entities.

The term "bioinformatics" is often used interchangeably with the umbrella term "computational biology". Less commonly, bioinformatics is vaguely defined as that term describing an area of computational biology that is more concerned with data handling and data mining, while computational biology would include abstract modeling and simulation. Biosynthesis is a phenomenon where chemical compounds are produced from simpler reagents. Biosynthesis, unlike chemical synthesis, takes place within living organisms and is generally catalysed by enzymes. The process is a vital part of metabolism.

The prerequisites for biosynthesis are:

• Precursor substances
• Energy (usually in the form of ATP)

Often required components include:

• Catalysts, usually enzymes
• Reduction equivalents (in the form of NADH, NADPH and others)

Important and commonly known products of biosynthesis include amino acids, nucleotides, proteins, vitamins, and antibiotics, but all components of living beings are a result of this process. In the near future it may be possible, with the help of biotechnology, to harness this process for the production of biodegradable plastics.