Activation of enzymes

The earliest examples of analytical methods based on chemical kinetics, which date from the late nineteenth century, took advantage of the catalytic activity of enzymes. Typically, the enzyme was added to a solution containing a suitable substrate, and the reaction between the two was monitored for a fixed time. The enzyme s activity was determined by measuring the amount of substrate that had reacted. Enzymes also were used in procedures for the quantitative analysis of hydrogen peroxide and carbohydrates. The application of catalytic reactions continued in the first half of the twentieth century, and developments included the use of nonenzymatic catalysts, noncatalytic reactions, and differences in reaction rates when analyzing samples with several analytes. 

The catalytic activities of enzymes are optimized within pH values of 4.8—5.2. Temperatures of 60—65°C are commonly employed to secure good conversion, prior to addition of yeast. 

Metabolic Regulation Is Achieved by Controlling the Activity of Enzymes... 

FIGURE 2.16 pH versus enzymatic activity. The activity of enzymes is very sensitive to pH. The pH optimum of an enzyme is one of its most important characteristics. Pepsin is a protein-digesting enzyme active in the gastric fluid. Trypsin is also a proteolytic enzyme, but it acts in the more alkaline milieu of the small intestine. Lysozyme digests the cell walls of bacteria it is found in tears. 

Another type of NR crosstalk, which has only recently been recognized, is the so-called nongenomic actions of several receptors that induce very rapid cellular effects. Effectively, evidence has accumulated over several decades that steroid receptors may have a role that does not require their transcriptional activation, such as modifying the activity of enzymes and ion channels. While the effects of steroids that are mediated by the modulation of gene expression do occur with a time lag of hours, steroids can induce an increase in several second messengers such as inositol triphosphate, cAMP, Ca2+, and the activation of MARK and PI3 kinase within seconds or minutes. Many mechanistic details of these nongenomic phenomena remain poorly understood. Notably, controversy still exists as to the identity of the receptors that initiate the non-genomic steroid actions. However, it now appears that at least some of the reported effects can be attributed to the same steroid receptors that are known as NRs. 

Ca2+-pumps. After entering the cell, Ca2+ is reversibly complexed to specific Ca2+-binding proteins that fiilfil multiple functions, including Ca2+-buffering and transport, activation of enzymes, regulation of contraction,... 

Facilitates the breakdown of protein in the muscle, leading to increased plasma amino acid levels. Increases activity of enzymes necessary for glucogenesis producing hyperglycemia, which can aggravate diabetes, precipitate latent diabetes, and cause insulin resistance... 

Hokum, J.A.M. Winter, K. (1982). Activity of enzymes of carbon metabolism during the induction of Crassulacean acid metabolism in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. Planta, 155, 8-16. 

Smirnoff, J. Colombe, S.V. (1988). Drought influences the activity of enzymes of the chloroplast hydrogen peroxide scavenging system. Journal of Experimental Botany, 39, 1097-1109. 

The activity of enzymes in the film was estimated in the following way In order to test the activity of urease, we utilized a calorimetric assay based on urea hydrolysis the enzymatic reaction was followed at 590 nm, the suitable wavelength for bromcresol purple (Chandler 1982). Urea concentration was 1.67 ts 10 M. 

THE CATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF ENZYMES FACILITATES THEIR DETECTION... 

The minute quantities of enzymes present in cells complicate determination of their presence and concentration. However, the abifity to rapidly transform thousands of molecules of a specific substrate into products imbues each enzyme with the abifity to reveal its presence. Assays of the catalytic activity of enzymes are fre-quendy used in research and cfinical laboratories. Under appropriate conditions (see Chapter 8), the rate of the catalytic reaction being monitored is proportionate to the amount of enzyme present, which allows its concentration to be inferred. 

The catalytic activity of enzymes reveals their presence, facihtates their detection, and provides the basis for enzyme-hnked immunoassays. 

Inhibitors of the catalytic activities of enzymes provide both pharmacologic agents and research tools for study of the mechanism of enzyme action. Inhibitors can be classified based upon their site of action on the enzyme, on whether or not they chemically modify the enzyme, or on the kinetic parameters they influence. KineticaUy, we distinguish two classes of inhibitors based upon whether raising the substrate concentration does or does not overcome the inhibition. 

Ghanges in the availability of substrates are responsible for most changes in metabolism either directly or indirectly acting via changes in hormone secretion. Three mechanisms are responsible for regulating the activity of enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism (1) changes in the rate of enzyme synthesis, (2) covalent modification by reversible phosphorylation, and (3) allosteric effects. 

There is no evidence of a general overactivity in DA function in schizophrenic patients. Plasma prolactin is not reduced, so the DA inhibitory control of its release is normal there is no recorded increase in DA turnover as CSF and plasma levels of its major metabolite HVA are normal and dyskinesias, which would reflect increased DA activity, are rare. PM studies have shown no consistent increases in DA brain levels, although some reports show an increase in the left amygdala, or in the activity of enzymes involved in its synthesis (tyrosine hydroxylase) or metabolism (MAO). For a review of the neurochemistry see Reynolds (1995). 

Anti-complementary activity of enzymic digestion products from the pectins of Angelica acutiloba... 

The high specific activity of enzymes and tfie tfieoretical possibility of using them to conduct electrochemical reactions are topics of great scientific interest. However, it is difficult to envisage prospects for a practical nse of enzymes for an acceleration and intensification of industrial electrode processes. The difficulty resides in the fact that enzymes are rather large molecnles, and on the surface of an enzyme electrode, fewer active sites are available than on other electrodes. Per unit snrface area, therefore, the effect expected from the nse of enzymes is somewhat rednced. 

The high catalytic activity of enzymes has a number of sources. Every enzyme has a particular active site configured so as to secure intimate contact with the substrate molecule (a strictly defined mutual orientation in space, a coordination of the electronic states, etc.). This results in the formation of highly reactive substrate-enzyme complexes. The influence of tfie individual enzymes also rests on the fact that they act as electron shuttles between adjacent redox systems. In biological systems one often sees multienzyme systems for chains of consecutive steps. These systems are usually built into the membranes, which secures geometric proximity of any two neighboring active sites and transfer of the product of one step to the enzyme catalyzing the next step. 

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