What are enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts – they are required in order to cause some type of reaction. Enzymes are made up of long chains of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds.
Enzymes perform a vital function by controlling the metabolic processes whereby nutrients are converted into energy and fresh cell material. Enzymes also are the catalyst that help to break down food ingested into its simplest form.
Some examples of enzymes:
- amylase – an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates as soon as they are eaten
- pepsinogen – an enzyme in the stomach that activates pepsin
- gastric lipase – an enzyme in the stomach that has a minor action on digesting fats
Important enzymes facts
- Enzyme activity is affected by: temperature, blood and tissue pH, chemical environment
- Enzymes are quite specific about which reactions they act as catalyst
- Many drugs and poisons inhibit enzymes from carrying out their normal activity
Why enzymes are important
Cells use enzymes to grow, reproduce and create energy, and they often remove enzymes out of their cell walls too.
Enzymes allow the cells to carry out all the necessary chemical reactions inside them. Without the enzymes, cells would not survive long.