ENZYMES
2 nd SEMESTER BIOCHEMISTRY
, Enzymes
• “We are the catalysts of the living world !
Protein in nature, and in action specific, rapid
and accurate; Huge in size but with small
active centres;
• Enzymes are biocatalysts – the catalysts of life.
A catalyst is defined as a substance that
increases the velocity or rate of a chemical
reaction without itself undergoing any change
in the overall process
,• Enzymes may be defined as biocatalysts
synthesized by living cells. They are protein in
nature (exception – RNA acting as ribozyme),
colloidal and thermolabile in character, and
specific in their action.
, NOMENCLATURE AND CLASSIFICATION
• Enzymes are sometimes considered under two
broad categories :
• (a) Intracellular enzymes – They are
functional within cells where they are
synthesized
• (b) Extracellular enzymes – These enzymes
are active outside the cell; all the digestive
enzymes belong to this group.
2 nd SEMESTER BIOCHEMISTRY
, Enzymes
• “We are the catalysts of the living world !
Protein in nature, and in action specific, rapid
and accurate; Huge in size but with small
active centres;
• Enzymes are biocatalysts – the catalysts of life.
A catalyst is defined as a substance that
increases the velocity or rate of a chemical
reaction without itself undergoing any change
in the overall process
,• Enzymes may be defined as biocatalysts
synthesized by living cells. They are protein in
nature (exception – RNA acting as ribozyme),
colloidal and thermolabile in character, and
specific in their action.
, NOMENCLATURE AND CLASSIFICATION
• Enzymes are sometimes considered under two
broad categories :
• (a) Intracellular enzymes – They are
functional within cells where they are
synthesized
• (b) Extracellular enzymes – These enzymes
are active outside the cell; all the digestive
enzymes belong to this group.
