State that enzymes are globular proteins that catalyse reactions inside cells (intracellular enzymes) or are secreted to catalyse reactions outside cells (extracellular enzymes)

Sourav PanOctober 28, 2024

Answered

Statement: Enzymes are globular proteins that catalyse reactions, operating in two primary locales: intracellularly (inside cells) and extracellularly (outside cells).

Elaboration:

• Nature of Enzymes:
  • Composition: Enzymes are proteins, specifically globular proteins. This globular structure is crucial for their function, as it allows for a specific active site where substrate binding and catalysis occur.
  • Function: The primary role of enzymes is to act as catalysts. This means they speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the process, enabling cells to perform a vast array of biochemical transformations efficiently.
• Locales of Enzyme Activity:
  1. Intracellular Enzymes:
     • Location: These enzymes operate within the cell, in various compartments such as the cytoplasm, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and others.
     • Function: They catalyse reactions involved in cellular metabolism, including glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, fatty acid synthesis, and more, which are crucial for energy production, growth, and maintenance of cellular functions.
  2. Extracellular Enzymes:
     • Location: These enzymes are secreted by cells to function outside the cell, in body fluids (like blood, lymph), the extracellular matrix, or in the case of digestive enzymes, in the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract.
     • Function: They catalyse reactions that are beneficial when occurring outside the cell, such as the digestion of food in the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., amylase, lipase, trypsin), the breakdown of blood clots (fibrinolysis by plasmin), or the defense against pathogens (e.g., lysozyme in saliva and tears).