How to prove that enzymes are proteins

Enzyme is a special substance that transforms substances in the body like a catalyst. The latest research results show that enzyme is actually a substance with a similar structure to protein. Many scientists even believe that enzyme is a kind of protein, but its function is different from that of ordinary protein. So, how do we prove that enzymes are proteins? Let’s take a look at the explanation below. Those who are interested can learn about it.

Evidence that enzymes are proteins

1. Enzymes are thermally unstable.

2. Enzymes are amphoteric electrolytes.

3. Other chemical and physical factors that cause protein denaturation can inactivate the enzyme.

4. Enzymes have a series of characteristics of colloidal substances.

5. Many enzymes are inactivated by proteolytic enzymes.

6. Crystalline enzyme has been produced.

7. The amino acid sequences of many enzymes have been determined.

The chemical nature of enzymes is protein or RNA, so they also have primary, secondary, tertiary, and even quaternary structures. According to their molecular composition, they can be divided into simple enzymes and combined enzymes. An enzyme that only contains protein is called a simple enzyme; a combined enzyme is composed of enzyme protein and cofactors. For example, most hydrolases are composed of simple proteins; flavin mononucleotidase is composed of enzyme protein and cofactors. The enzyme protein in the conjugated enzyme is the protein part, and the auxiliary factor is the non-protein part. Only when the two are combined into a complete enzyme will it have catalytic activity.

Enzymes are divided into six categories according to the nature of the reactions they catalyze:

Oxidoreductases are enzymes that promote the redox reaction of substrates. They are a class of enzymes that catalyze redox reactions and can be divided into two categories: oxidases and reductases.

Transferases are enzymes that catalyze the transfer or exchange of certain groups (such as acetyl, methyl, amino, phosphate, etc.) between substrates. For example, methyltransferases, aminotransferases, acetyltransferases, transsulfurases, kinases and polymerases, etc.

Hydrolases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of substrates. For example, amylase, protease, lipase, phosphatase, glycosidase, etc.

Lyases are enzymes that catalyze a reaction that removes a group from a substrate (non-hydrolytically) leaving a double bond, or the reverse reaction. For example, dehydratase, decarboxylase, carbonic anhydrase, aldolase, citrate synthase, etc. Many lyases catalyze the reverse reaction, forming a new chemical bond between two substrates and eliminating the double bond of one substrate. Synthase belongs to this category.