Final answer:
Enzymes are specialized proteins that accelerate biochemical reactions and are named based on the substrate they act on or the type of reaction they catalyze. They are classified into six major classes like Oxidoreductases, Hydrolases, and Transferases, each indicating the type of reaction they catalyze.
Step-by-step explanation:
Enzymes, which are produced by living cells, are specialized catalysts that accelerate biochemical reactions. Enzyme names are typically formed from the name of the substrate they act on or the reaction they catalyze, with the suffix -ase. For instance, lactase is an enzyme that digests lactose, a type of sugar found in milk. Enzymes are categorized into six major classes: Oxidoreductases, Transferases, Hydrolases, Lyases, Isomerases, and Ligases. Each class is based on the type of chemical reaction the enzyme catalyzes.
- Oxidoreductases are enzymes that catalyze oxidation-reduction reactions, for example, by transferring hydrogen atoms from a substrate to an acceptor, like lactate dehydrogenase reacting lactate to NAD+.
- Hydrolases catalyze the hydrolysis of chemical bonds, like how amylase breaks down starch.
- Transferases move functional groups from one molecule to another, such as alanine aminotransferase transferring an amino group.
- Lyases break chemical bonds in reactions other than hydrolysis or oxidation, such as aldolase cleaving fructose-1,6-bisphosphate.
- Isomerases catalyze the rearrangement of chemical bonds within a molecule, like the conversion of glucose to fructose by isomerases.
- Ligases join two molecules together with the aid of ATP, often seen in DNA synthesis.
Thus, enzymes like DNA polymerase help in the formation of DNA, while others like pyruvate dehydrogenase aid in the transfer of hydrogen from pyruvate during cellular respiration.