Introduction to Enzymes

Chemical Nature of Enzymes

All known enzymes are proteins. They are high molecular weight compounds made up principally of chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. See Figure 1.

Enzyme Figure 1

Figure 1: Typical protein structure – two amino acids joined by a peptide bond.

 

Enzymes can be denatured and precipitated with salts, solvents and other reagents. They have molecular weights ranging from 10,000 to 2,000,000.

Many enzymes require the presence of other compounds - cofactors - before their catalytic activity can be exerted. This entire active complex is referred to as the holoenzyme; i.e., apoenzyme (protein portion) plus the cofactor (coenzyme, prosthetic group or metal-ion-activator) is called the holoenzyme.

Enzyme Figure 2

Figure 2: Holoenzymes plus various types of cofactors.

 

Apoenzyme + Cofactor = Holoenzyme

According to Holum, the cofactor may be:

1. A coenzyme - a non-protein organic substance which is dialyzable, thermostable and loosely attached to the protein part.

2. A prosthetic group - an organic substance which is dialyzable and thermostable which is firmly attached to the protein or apoenzyme portion.

3. A metal-ion-activator - these include K+, Fe++, Fe+++, Cu++, Co++, Zn++, Mn++, Mg++, Ca++, and Mo+++.

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