TCA (Kreb's) Cycle Rap - Wilson Lam (Macklemore - Thrift Shop Parody)

So one of the awesome things about the BCH3120 course at uOttawa is that a song contest is held where the students are challenged to write a song about the TCA (Kreb's) Cycle. I decided to also add a little glycolysis in here as well, just because I figured that it worked well. I had a whole lot of fun making this, and hopefully you can enjoy this and maybe learn a thing or two! Thanks to Dr. Mary-Ellen Harper for this ingenious idea.

Lyrics:
[Hook]
I'm gonna pop some carbs
Only got a lil' glucose in my pathway
I - I - I'm lazy, lookin' for some CoA
This is frigging awesome

[Verse 1]
Now I got some glucose; hell yeah, I'm in that prep phase
I'm so pumped; doin' work with hexokinase
Glucose to the glucose with a number six phosphate
PGI to that fructose 6-phosphate (dayum)
ATP, ADP, phosphofructokinase E,
1,6-bis, FBP, adolase, two GAP;
GAPDH with some PGK & PGM,
3-P to the 2-Phosphoglycerate, and then
(Enolaaaaaaaassseeee)
PEP to Pyruvate! (glycolysis)

[Verse 2]
FAD, NAD bout to go and grab some hydroG
Pumpin' out all those substrates for some work yeah that's that energy
shuttlin' through that mito-C like nobody's business
what you know about oxidation? biz-NITCH
I'mma do it TCA, I'mma do it TCA
No for real - movin' on - can I have some A-CoA? (thank-you)
Citrate synthase from that CoA to that citrate
Aconitase, step two; isocitrate
I had some NAD+ (plus), I used some NAD+ (plus)
I made some NADH (Hhhhhhhh), and alpha-ketogluterate (oh snap)
dehydrogenase complex, plus some CoA
CO2, NADH out; succinyl CoA
then I take that GDP, add a P (GTP), hold on wait
CoAs gone, people be like "Aw, he got the succinate"

[Hook x2]

[Verse 3]
What you know about intermediary metabolism? (not much)
What you knowin' about what's goin' on in your skin? (uhhhhh)
I'm diggin, I'm diggin, I'm lookin' for some FAD
Step 6, succinate dehydrogenase, that's the key (zing)
Movin' on, reducin' that FAD up to FADH2
fumarate, fumarase that's the enzyme now go shift your gaze
to malate (okay); step 8, malate dehydrogenase
finish off; NADH, oxaloacetate (ahhhhh)

[Hook x2]

[Bridge x2]
That's how Kreb's cycle goes
If you didn't doze now you know
This is how TCA flows
BCH actually doesn't blow

[Hook]

(alpha-ketogluteraaaaaaaaaate)

[lasagnasty]

This song made me hate myself but helped me pass biochemistry. 10/10

[gj]

"Awww...he got a succinate."

Boss.

[jeremyhall]

I banned my wife from singing the original version of this song while
I'm studying for the metabolism section of my biochem course. Now she be
like, "PEP to PYRUVATTEEEE!"

[SonamSingh-xxnz]

Seriously the most underrated video on YouTube -- I've been coming back to this for the past two years for biochem classes & the MCAT!!

[MaginAZN]

That's wicked! My favorite part about everything is when you guys come on and tell me that this video is actually helping people learn. A huge thanks to all of the instructors out there who incorporate this into their lessons! Biochemistry is awesome.

[zarirmarawala]

Love the innovation. I have been a college professor for 30 years, most of them at a community college and I love using catchy tunes to make the facts go in the old noggin with ease. I used to make up my own in pod med school many years ago. I show your Kreb's cycle video in my Physio classes to show them the transfer of energy--it takes all the trepidation (and boredom) out of the students who dread the biochemistry aspect of energy discussions. Thank you!

[tylerscaff]

Yeah, everyone is saying this, but I'll say it too: I am legitimately using this song to study for my Biochem final tomorrow. Thank you guys. I wish there were more songs like this for the difficult things to memorize. The only other one I've heard that was any good was for the EM spectrum, and I've never forgotten it since. :)

[SylveonSilver]

Finals are coming up in 2 weeks and I am going to memorize this song and sing it during my biochem final and ace this exam with this song's help! :)

[NabojeetD]

I cannot believe this is from 10 years ago! This is so awesome, it's helping me study for the MCAT!

[antoniop]

Saying what's going on in your skin and then saying im digging should be illegal LMAO

[KaitPearfulPlease]

I tried to memorize this song for biochem hahahaha love

[creampuff]

This video taught me more than my teacher did the last 3 months. The lyrics are amazing and they flow SOOOO well. Please keep making videos like this!

[min---min]

I remember watching this in high school lol unfortunately almost 10 years ago. No idea how I remembered all this stuff. Thanks Mr. Bedford

[karinacernioglo]

I've been coming back to this for years! This has helped me survive biochemistry, exercise metabolism, nutrition classes, and now the MCAT. Thank you for such a great video!

[MaginAZN]

That is so wicked haha - thanks! I tried to make it fun to listen to, but also informative. It's pretty crazy that your teacher showed you guys this! Totally mind-blowing. Good luck with your studies!

[turalbeats]

we got the same in french made by our teachers, and i gotta tell, this one is a blessing next to our french version

[kashagrace]

Just had a nerdgasm. This is great! You should totally make more of these!

[faridzeynalov]

I am doctor now for a year. It still amazes me how the fuck i passed biochemistry knowing every single reaction with coenzyme etc

[DavidRussell]

I've been listening to this like every day for the past two weeks. This is freaking awesome.

[BadDietitian]

I love this break down of the Krebs Cycle!