Discover the Industrial Applications of Enzymes

Enzymes in Industry and Metabolism

• Subtilisin is the enzyme responsible for the degradation of proteins in detergents.
• Glucose isomerase is used to convert glucose to fructose in the production of high-fructose corn syrup.
• Amyloglucosidase is used to remove fruit starch haze.
• Chymosin is used in cheese manufacture to curdle milk.
• Urea lyase is used to increase yields in wine production.
• Enzymes act as catalysts to increase the rates of chemical reactions.
• Enzymes are proteins that act on specific molecules, known as substrates.
• During chemical reactions, enzymes accelerate the process without being consumed or altered.
• Allosteric effect refers to the ability of a protein to change shape, resulting in a change in binding affinity at a different binding site.
• Industrial applications of enzymes benefit fields such as detergent, food, and pharmaceutical industries.
• Enzymes play a crucial role in metabolic processes within a cell, facilitating chemical reactions.

Classes of Enzymes

• Oxidoreductases catalyze reactions in which one molecule is oxidized while the other is reduced.
• Transferases catalyze the transfer of carbon, nitrogen, or phosphate groups.
• Hydrolases catalyze hydrolytic cleavage reactions.
• Lyases catalyze the cleavage of C-C, C-S, and C-N bonds.

Enzyme Functions

• ATP-dependent enzymes require ATP for their activity.
• Oxygenases catalyze the incorporation of molecular O2 to a substrate.
• Mitochondria and lysosomes are organelles involved in the compartmentalization of enzymes.
• Alanine transaminase (ALT) is typically found when the cells of the liver are stressed or damaged.
• Alkaline phosphatase is increased when bile flow in the liver is reduced.
• Creatine kinase is most frequently measured to assess muscle injury.
• AST and ALT are used to assess liver function, with lesser importance during muscle injury.

Enzyme Regulation and Mechanisms

• Insulin and glucagon regulate enzymatic activities on metabolic pathways.
• The key-lock mechanism of enzymes refers to the specific binding of substrates to active sites.
• An example of an industrial application of enzymes is the use of amylases in laundry detergents.
• An apoenzyme is an inactive enzyme without a cofactor, whereas a holoenzyme is the active form with a cofactor.
• Activation energy is the energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.
• Enzymes increase the rates of chemical reactions without being consumed or altered.
• An example of enzyme nomenclature is the use of the suffix "-ase" to denote an enzyme, such as lactase.

Test your knowledge on the industrial applications of enzymes with this quiz! Explore enzymes like streptokinase used to dissolve blood clots, protease for protein degradation, cellulase for breaking down cellulose, lipase for lipid degradation, amylase for starch conversion, and more. Challenge yourself and learn about the fascinating uses of enzymes in various industries.