Enzymes

Enzymes are macromolecular biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzymes converts the substrates into different molecules known as products.

Enzymes are biological molecules (typically proteins) that significantly speed up the rate of virtually all of the chemical reactions that take place within cells. They are vital for life and serve a wide range of important functions in the body, such as aiding in digestion and metabolism.

What are Enzymes ?

The majority of enzymes are proteins with catalytic capabilities crucial to perform different processes. Metabolic processes and other chemical reactions in the cell are carried out by a set of enzymes that are necessary to sustain life. Enzymes when react with a molecule is called the substrate. Enzymes convert the substrates into other distinct molecules, which are known as products. The macromolecular components of all enzymes consist of protein, except in the class of RNA catalysts called ribozymes.

Enzymes are found in all tissues and fluids of the body. Catalysis of all reactions taking place in metabolic pathways is carried out by intracellular enzymes. Most of the critical life processes are established on the functions of enzymes.

STRUCTURAL COMPOSITION OF ENZYMES

Enzymes are made from amino acids, and they are proteins. When an enzyme is formed, it is made by stringing together between 100 and 1,000 amino acids in a very specific and unique order. The chain of amino acids then folds into a unique shape. The sequence of amino acids specifies the structure, which in turn identifies the catalytic activity of the enzyme. Upon heating, the enzyme’s structure denatures, resulting in a loss of enzyme activity, which typically is associated with temperature.

Compared to its substrates, enzymes are typically large with varying sizes, ranging from 62 amino acid residues to an average of 2500 residues found in fatty acid synthase. Only a small section of the structure is involved in catalysis and is situated next to the binding sites. The catalytic site and binding site together constitute the enzyme’s active site.

USES OF ENZYMES

• Enzymes help cells to communicate with each other, keeping cell growth, life and death under control.
• They are used to make and improve nearly 400 consumer and commercial products such as food and beverage processing, textiles, animal nutrition, household cleaning, fuel for cars and energy generation.
• Other than the production, these enzymes are also used in improving the quality of food products, such as improving the quality of the food, taste, flavour, colour, etc.
• Enzymes play an important role in removing impurities, providing a stonewashed effect, in ethanol production to break down the starch and cellulose into fermentable sugars.

• Enzymes are powerful tools that help sustain a clean environment in several ways by producing environmentally friendly products.
• They are also used in numerous technical applications such as in laundry to remove stains and increase the life of fabrics, in the recycling of paper and paper products to remove ink and in the production of dishwashing soaps and detergents.

BENEFITS

• Increases body weight & better feed utilization.
• Increases digestive capacity of animal & birds.
• Improves nutrient availability.
• It mobilizes storage fats in animals

Increases egg production & eggshell breakage is reduced.