Enzymes

• catalyst


  (chemistry) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected
• enzyme


  A type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing
• amylase


  An enzyme that is secreted by the salivary glands and by the pancreas to break carbohydrates down into sugars
• protease


  An enzyme capable of digesting proteins.
• catalase


  A common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen. It catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. It is a very important enzyme in reproductive reactions.
• lipase


  An enzyme secreted in the digestive tract that catalyzes the breakdown of fats into individual fatty acids that can be absorbed into the bloodstream
• substrate


  A substance on which an enzyme acts during a chemical reaction.
• product


  A substance produced in a chemical reaction.
• denatured


  An uncoiled, or unraveled protein, the protein has lost its shape due to high temperatures or strong chemicals, its weak bonds have broken and the protein cannot perform its job, since it no longer "fits" with other molecules
• pectinase


  Any enzyme that breaks down pectin, a polysaccharide substrate found in the cell wall of plants, into simple sugars and galacturonic acid.
• pepsin


  An enzyme present in gastric juice that begins the hydrolysis of proteins
• active site


  The part of an enzyme or antibody where the chemical reaction occurs.
• lock and key


  Model of enzyme activity that explains how a particular enzyme will only fit with one particular type of substrate.
• inhibitor


  A substance that slows down or stops a chemical reaction