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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, radiation, or heat. [3]
Cell lysis is used in laboratories to break open cells and purify or further study their contents. Lysis in the laboratory may be affected by enzymes or detergents or other chaotropic agents . Mechanical disruption of cell membranes, as by repeated freezing and thawing, sonication , pressure, or filtration may also be referred to as lysis.
Ribonuclease (commonly abbreviated RNase) is a type of nuclease that catalyzes the degradation of RNA into smaller components. Ribonucleases can be divided into endoribonucleases and exoribonucleases, and comprise several sub-classes within the EC 2.7 (for the phosphorolytic enzymes) and 3.1 (for the hydrolytic enzymes) classes of enzymes.
Ribbon diagram of a protease (TEV protease) complexed with its peptide substrate in black with catalytic residues in red.(. A protease (also called a peptidase, proteinase, or proteolytic enzyme) [1] is an enzyme that catalyzes proteolysis, breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids, and spurring the formation of new protein products. [2]
It occurs in a hypotonic environment, where water moves into the cell by osmosis and causes its volume to increase to the point where the volume exceeds the membrane's capacity and the cell bursts. The presence of a cell wall prevents the membrane from bursting, so cytolysis only occurs in animal and protozoa cells which do not have cell walls.
Exopeptidases are enzymes that can cleave the end of an amino acid side chain mostly through the addition of water. [6] Exopeptidase enzymes exist in the small intestine. These enzymes have two classes: aminopeptidases are a brush border enzyme and carboxypeptidases which is from the pancreas.
In the less extensive technique of equilibrium unfolding, the fractions of folded and unfolded molecules (denoted as and , respectively) are measured as the solution conditions are gradually changed from those favoring the native state to those favoring the unfolded state, e.g., by adding a denaturant such as guanidinium hydrochloride or urea.
Benefits of exoenzyme production can also be lost after secretion because the enzymes are liable to denature, degrade or diffuse away from the producer cell. Enzyme production and secretion is an energy intensive process [14] and, because it consumes resources otherwise available for reproduction, there is evolutionary pressure to conserve ...