• Question: What are enzymes?

    Asked by justme to SJ on 22 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: SarahJayne Boulton

      SarahJayne Boulton answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      Enzymes are proteins (biological chemicals made out of amino acids) that can make specific chemical reactions go faster or even make reactions happen that other wise wouldn’t!

      Enzymes are usually super specific for the reaction they make faster (‘catalyse’ is the technical term) for example Maltase is an enzyme that breaks down the sugar maltose (it’s made of 2 glucose molecules) but it wont break down the sugar sucrose (which is one glucose and one frucose molecule – only a tiny difference) !!

      You can learn more about enzymes and amino acids here:

      http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/cellular-microscopic/cell2.htm

      Enjoy!

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