Chapter 18, Problem 18.95QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The equation that represents the action of proteolytic enzyme chymotrypsin has to be determined.

Concept Introduction:

Certain enzymes called proteolytic enzymes are involved in the cleavage of the peptide bonds that are found in the primary structure of polypeptides.

These proteolytic enzymes are often refereed as serine proteases because of the presence of a nucleophilic serine at the active site of the enzyme. They are classified on the basis of the substrate specificity.

For example, the trypsin proteases cleave specifically at the carbonyl end of positively charged amino acids such as arginine or lysine except for the cases of amino acids that are followed by proline.

Chymotrypsin cleaves at the carbonyl terminal of aromatic amino acids such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan.