I'm interested in learning about enzyme usage. Could someone explain the basics of working with enzymes? I understand they're different from standard chemicals, but I'm uncertain about the specific conditions they might require. Is it possible to obtain and use a single enzyme for experiments or applications? Do enzymes generally need specialized laboratory environments, or can they be used in simpler settings? Any guidance or resources would be greatly appreciated."
Enzymes are proteins (except for ribozymes, which are made of RNA). They are macromolecules consisting of long strings of amino acids folded into a specific 3D shape that is crucial for their activity. Many of them are in the aqueous biological environment, i.e., free in solution, but others are attached to cellular membranes.
Enzymes are catalysts. They make it possible for biochemical reactions to occur rapidly under biologically relevant conditions. Some enzymes consist entirely of amino acids, and others have attached organic cofactors, called prosthetic groups, or metal ions.
Because enzymes are complex and delicate biological molecules, they cannot be handled the same way you would handle small organic chemicals. With few exceptions, they must be in an aqueous environment. The pH and temperature must be controlled carefully, as they each have an optimum that varies from one enzyme to another. The pH is controlled using a solution called a buffer, that may also contain salts, metal ions, and reducing agents that the enzyme requires for optimal catalytic action. Enzymes must be handled gently to avoid damage. The conditions for storage of the purified proteins are also important. Improper storage and rough handling can result in loss of enzyme activity due to unfolding of the protein structure.
Some enzymes have been engineered to be especially stable for or use in industrial processes or in laundry detergents.
Adam B Shapiro Thank you and I appreciate your response. Assuming the enzyme is stored and handled under optimal conditions (e.g., appropriate temperature, pH, and buffer composition), could it be incorporated into the reaction mixture alongside other reagents? Provided all parameters are controlled, would this approach potentially yield the desired product? I'm interested in understanding the practical aspects of enzyme addition in this context.
Whether an enzyme can be added to the reaction reagent needs the support of preliminary experiments and literature. After all, biology is an experimental science, and you can also read some articles on enzyme stability modification and mass expression.
一个酶是否可以加入到反应试剂中，这需要前期实验和文献来支撑。毕竟生物学是实验科学，你也可以去看一些关于酶稳定性改造和大量表达相关的文章。
Enzymes are often used in chemical synthesis because of their catalytic activity, stereoselectivity, and specificity for substrates and products. Of course, the reaction conditions must be chosen to support the enzyme's activity, and therefore are likely to be very different from the conditions usually used in organic synthesis, i.e. aqueous, moderate temperature, not too vigorous stirring.
https://www.nature.com/articles/35051706#:~:text=Most%20enzymes%20operate%20at%20room,or%20with%20non%2Dbiological%20reagents.
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