Classification and Functions
Industrial enzymes can be broadly classified based on the type of reaction they catalyze. Some of the major classes of industrial types and their functions include:
- Proteases: These break down or hydrolyze proteins and are commonly used in detergents to remove tough protein stains. They are also used in leather processing to make leather more supple.
- Amylases: Amylases catalyze the hydrolysis of starch into simple sugars. They are used in food processing industries to convert starch into sugars in products like bread, alcoholic beverages and high-fructose corn syrup.
- Lipases: Lipases break down fats (lipids) into fatty acids and glycerol. They find application in food processing and biodiesel production. In food processing, they are used in baking, dairy and brewing industries.
- Cellulases: Cellulases hydrolyze cellulose material. They play an important role in converting plant biomass into biofuels like ethanol. Other uses include improving digestibility of animal feed and cotton processing.
- Lactase: Lactase enzyme helps break down lactose sugar found in milk. It is added to dairy products to make them easier to digest for lactose-intolerant individuals.
Role in Medical Applications
In addition to industrial uses, they have important medical applications such as Enzymes replacement therapy. Some medical uses of them include:
- Treatment of lysosomal storage disorders: These are genetic disorders where the body is unable to break down certain fatty substances and sugars due to deficiency of lysosomal. Enzyme replacement therapy helps treat disorders like Gaucher disease and Pompe disease.
- Treatment of pancreatitis: Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas which reduces its ability to produce digestive type. Exogenous supplements help improve digestion.
- Treatment of phenylketonuria: This genetic disorder impairs the ability to break down phenylalanine, an amino acid. Its supplements containing phenylalanine ammonia lyase help control levels of phenylalanine.
- Contact lens cleaning: Types like proteases and lipases are used in contact lens cleaning solutions to break down protein and lipid deposits on contact lenses.
- Molecular diagnostics: They play an important role in various molecular diagnostic tests by catalyzing reactions during DNA amplification and sequencing.
Factors Affecting Its Activity and Applications
For industrial and biomedical enzymes to function effectively, certain factors affecting their activity need to be controlled. Some key factors include:
- Temperature: Most work best within a limited temperature range and can lose activity beyond this range due to protein unfolding. Controlling reaction temperature is important.
- pH: Like temperature, they also exhibit optimal activity at a particular pH range. Deviation from optimal pH decreases its activity.
- Inhibitors: Certain substances can bind to enzymes non-competitively and inhibit their catalytic activity. Examples are heavy metals, sulfate, chlorides. Their presence needs to be controlled.
- Activators: Some substances like metal ions can enhance its activity by binding to sites other than the active site. Their presence aids catalytic function.
- Product and substrate concentration: Its activity increases with substrate concentration until the active sites get saturated. Excess product also inhibits activity via feedback inhibition.
- Immobilization: Immobilization techniques like cross-linking enhance stability, allowing reuse and continuous processing in industry.
Understanding factors governing its activity helps unlock their full potential in industrial bioprocesses and medical applications. With further research, the role of enzymes is likely to expand in the future.
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