Different types of Enzymes in the human

body and their functions

What are enzymes and what is their function?
Enzymes are naturally occurring proteins that are found in the bodies of certain
living things, including humans and other animals, and that cause chemical
changes such as breaking down food in the stomach.
Within the human body, enzymes can be found in bodily fluids, such as blood,
saliva, the gastric juices or the stomach and fluids in the intestines.
In general, enzymes serve as catalysts for biological functions, including natural,
involuntary bodily functions, such as blood clotting.

Enzymes have three main characteristics.

1. They increase the rate of a natural chemical reaction.

2. They typically only react with one specific substrate or reactant, and
3. Enzyme activity is regulated and controlled within the cell through several
different means, including regulation by inhibitors and activators

There are 6 major classes of enzymes found in the body. The following are the names of
enzymes and their functions:

1. Ligase: This enzyme in the body requires ATP and binds nucleotides together in
the nucleic acids. It also binds simple sugars in polysaccarides.
2. Lyase: This enzyme in the body breaks the bonds between carbon atoms or
carbon nitrogen bond.
3. Hydrolase: This enzyme in the body breaks large molecules into simpler
molecules by adding a water molecule.
4. Transferase: This enzyme in the body cuts a part of one molecule and attaches it
to another molecule.
5. Isomerase: The atoms in a molecule are rearranged without changing their
chemical formula. This helps in getting carbohydrate molecules for certain
enzymatic processes.
6. Oxido-reductase: This enzyme removes hydrogen or electrons from one
molecule and donates it to another molecule. This enzyme is mainly involved in
mitochondrial energy production.
7. Kinase: This enzyme in the body attaches a phosphate group to a high energy
bond. It is a very important enzyme required for ATP production and activation of
certain enzymes.

Note4students:

In naming enzymes, the -ase suffix is often appended to the name of the substrate
molecule upon which which the enzyme reacts. For example, the enzyme sucrase
catalyzes the transformation of the sugar sucrose in to glucose and fructose. In this case,
the sucr- suffix represents the molecule upon which the sucrase enzyme reacts. Not all
enzymes are named according to this convention.

Further on, there are 3 types of enzymes:

1. Food enzymes,
2. Digestive enzymes and
3. Metabolic enzymes.

Keeping the important ones (for UPSC/ IAS prelims) in focus, here is the list of digestive
enzymes.

Important Digestive Enzymes and their functions

Digestive enzymes are secreted by the body that helps in digestion of food. The names of
enzymes that help in digestion are:

1. Amylase: This enzyme helps in breaking down carbohydrates. It is found in

saliva, pancreas and intestinal juices.
2. Proteases: It helps in digestion of proteins. It is present in the stomach, pancreatic
and intestinal juices.
3. Lipases: Lipases assist in digestion of fats. It is seen in the stomach, pancreatic
juice and food fats.

#1. Amylase

Breaks down carbohydrates, starches, and sugars which are prevalent in potatoes, fruits,
vegetables, and many snack foods

lactase breaks down lactose (milk sugars)

diastase digests vegetable starch
sucrase digests complex sugars and starches
maltase digests disaccharides to monosaccharides (malt sugars)
invertase breaks down sucrose (table sugar)
glucoamylase breaks down starch to glucose
alpha-glactosidase facilitates digestion of beans, legumes, seeds,
roots, soy products, and underground stems

#2. Protease

Breaks down proteins found in meats, nuts, eggs, and cheese

pepsin breaks down proteins into peptides

peptidase breaks down small peptide proteins to amino acids
trypsin derived from animal pancreas, breaks down proteins
 alpha chymotrypsin, an animal-derived enzyme, breaks down proteins
bromelain derived from pineapple, breaks down a broad spectrum of proteins, has
anti-inflammatory properties, effective over very wide pH range
papain derived from raw papaya, broad range of substrates and pH, works well
breaking down small and large proteins

#3. Lipase

Breaks down fats found in most dairy products, nuts, oils, and meat