Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
In biochemistry, denaturation is a process in which proteins or nucleic acids lose folded structure present in their native state due to various factors, including application of some external stress or compound, such as a strong acid or base, a concentrated inorganic salt, an organic solvent (e.g., alcohol or chloroform), agitation and radiation, or heat. [3]
An enzyme's activity decreases markedly outside its optimal temperature and pH, and many enzymes are (permanently) denatured when exposed to excessive heat, losing their structure and catalytic properties. Some enzymes are used commercially, for example, in the synthesis of antibiotics.
Nucleic acids are often denatured by including urea in the buffer, while proteins are denatured using sodium dodecyl sulfate, usually as part of the SDS-PAGE process. For full denaturation of proteins, it is also necessary to reduce the covalent disulfide bonds that stabilize their tertiary and quaternary structure , a method called reducing PAGE.
The most common chemicals used for DNA extraction include: Detergents, such as SDS or Tween-20, which are used to break open cells and release the DNA. Protease enzymes, such as Proteinase K, which are used to digest proteins that may be binding to the DNA. Phenol and chloroform, which are used to separate the DNA from other cellular components.
Clothes made of delicate materials such as wool and silk can be damaged in high-temperature washes, and jeans and denim can fade due to their dark dyes. Low-temperature washes with detergent enzymes can prevent this damage, meaning that consumers can buy clothes from a wider range of materials without worrying about damaging them during washing ...
Pectinases are a group of enzymes that breaks down pectin, a polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, through hydrolysis, transelimination and deesterification reactions. [1] [2] Commonly referred to as pectic enzymes, they include pectolyase, pectozyme, and polygalacturonase, one of the most studied and widely used [citation needed] commercial pectinases.
Enzymes are critical to our survival, but human enzymes have different properties than enzymes found in the things we eat, including all plant-based and animal foods.
The name ficin was first used by Robbins in 1930 to describe a purified substance with anthelmintic activity isolated from any member of the fig genus. [6] The Enzyme Commission of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) originally assigned EC 3.4.4.12 as ficin in 1961, which was transferred to 3.4.22.3 and renamed to ficain in 1972, making the two term synonymous ...