How Do Enzymes Work

We all know that cells are the fundamental building blocks of life. Every living organism is made of cells, which have specialized functions. While some living organisms, like, most bacteria, are unicellular organisms, humans have thousands of cells in their body. It is said that an average adult human has around 100 trillion cells. Several chemical reactions take place inside a cell and these reactions are crucial for the survival of the organism. This applies to unicellular organisms too, wherein, numerous chemical reactions are carried out by the single cell. Now, can you imagine the innumerable amount of chemical reactions that are carried out inside a human body, which has thousands of cells? Most of these chemical reactions inside the cells are facilitated by the action of enzymes. Let us take a look at what are enzymes and how do enzymes work in living tissues.

What are Enzymes?

Enzymes are special proteins that are found in the cells of living organisms. Like any other protein, enzymes are also made up of long chains of amino acids held together by peptide bonds. Apart from possessing all the properties of proteins, enzymes have a catalytic activity, which enables them to accelerate the rates of chemical reactions inside the body cells. Hence, enzymes in the body are considered catalysts that can facilitate or speed up chemical reactions inside the body cells. These reactions are vital for the survival of any living organism, as it is based on the breakdown of nutrients into energy, which involves various chemical reactions. These chemical reactions cannot happen in the absence of catalysts called enzymes, which are found in the cells. Enzymes play an important role in performing or controlling these chemical reactions. There are various types of enzymes and each one is responsible for a particular chemical reaction only. While, most enzymes are associated with metabolic processes, like, digestion and breathing, there are some, which are related to blood clotting, healing of wounds, controlling the production of hormones, destroying pathogens and environmental toxins, etc.

There are three types of enzymes - metabolic, digestive and food enzymes. While the first two types are produced by the body itself, the third type is derived from the food we eat. Metabolic enzymes are mainly responsible for reactions related to detoxification and energy production. Even though, these enzymes are produced by almost all living cells, cells in the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, etc., are mainly responsible for the production of metabolic enzymes. Benefits of digestive enzymes include the chemical reactions that break down the food we eat and convert them into energy. These enzymes are secreted along the digestive tract. The enzymes of the digestive tract include pepsin, trypsin and peptidases, which break down proteins into amino acids. Another digestive enzyme called amylase breaks down starch into simple sugars and lipase breaks down fat into glycerol and fatty acids. The body gets food enzymes from the food (raw) we eat or by the consumption of enzyme supplements. The enzyme, called cellulase, which is responsible for digesting fibers is not produced by the body, so it has to be derived from the raw food we eat. Now, we know that enzymes are necessary for either triggering or regulating these chemical reactions. Scroll down to know more about how do enzymes work and where.

How do Enzymes Work?

As mentioned above, most enzymes are produced in the cells of the living organism. The production of enzymes are carried out by cells, based on the instructions in the genes of that cell. So, any defect in the genes will result in defective enzymes, which do not work properly. In normal cases, enzymes, which are complex protein structures, are produced in the cells. The structure and function of each enzyme is different. The enzymes have to act upon different targets, which varies from one enzyme to another. A particular enzyme can act upon a specific substance only. The course of action of enzymes are different and complex and so, there are various theories regarding this subject. The following are some of the theories that explain about how do enzymes work to catalyze a chemical reaction.

Theories Regarding Working Mechanism of Enzymes: Now, we know that enzymes are specific and each enzyme acts upon a specific target called substrate, which is transformed into usable products by the action of the enzyme. As per lock and key hypothesis, the enzyme and the substrate are complementary to each other, as far as their shapes are concerned. Enzymes have a particular area, which is meant for getting attached to the substrate. Such areas in enzymes are called active sites. The right substrate will fit into the active site of the enzyme and form an enzyme substrate complex. The enzyme is the 'lock' and the substrate acts like a 'key'. It is at this active site, the substrate is transformed to usable products and released. As per induced fit theory, the substrate modifies its structure, as it enters the active site of an enzyme, in order to provide a precise position for the enzyme to act upon.

Now, you have a basic idea regarding how do enzymes work as catalysts. Enzymes are also used for industrial purposes and is an ingredient in detergents. How do enzymes work in laundry detergent? The answer lies in the course of action of enzymes, which work on stains, grease and soil on the clothes. These enzymes are responsible for removing the stains and make the clothes clean. So, enzymes are indispensable for all living organisms, but, have also become a part of various industrial processes, like, cheese making, vegetable oil production, etc.