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Enzymes Written by Fate

Enzymes

Enzymes are proteins that act as a catalyst, that is, something that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up. Enzymes are found in all living organisms where they are used to speed up metabolic reactions. Each type of reaction needs a different enzyme to act as a catalyst.

All Enzymes have something know as an active site. This is a small dent on the enzyme in which the substances that are in the reaction can fit perfectly.

There are MANY different types of enzymes, all of them performing different reactions, however, at a GCSE level; these are the ones you will most likely see:

-          Amylase: Breaks starch down into maltose

-          Maltose: Breaks down Maltose into glucose

-          Catalase: Breaks down hydrogen peroxide into hydrogen and oxygen

-          Lipase: Breaks fats into fatty acid and glycerol

-          Pepsin: Breaks proteins into smaller polypeptides

-          Trypsin: Also breaks down proteins to form polypeptides

-          Protease: Breaks smaller polypeptides down into amino acids

-          Pectinase: Breaks down cell walls

-          Lactase: breaks down lactose (sugar) into glucose and galactose

Enzymes also react to heat, which causes them to lose their shape. Because of this the active site also loses its shape which causes the enzyme to become denatured. Enzymes work best at 37 Degrees Celcius.

Enzume molecules only work within a narrow pH or else they will be denatured. Different enzymes work better in a different pH.

Enzymes are also used in many different industries. For example, Washing powders contain detergents to remove grease and dirt and food industries use Pectinase to make it easier to squeeze lots of juice out of apples.