14.25

Enzymes are naturally occurring simple conjugate proteins acting as specific catalysts in all processes. In contrast to ordinary chemical catalyst, it loses activity by pH or temperature change.

For example:- the enzyme used to catalyze the hydrolysis of maltose into glucose is named as maltase.

Enzymes are highly specific, i.e., a particular enzyme catalyses a specific reaction. For example, urase attacks on urea. This specific action is due to active sites present in the enzyme molecule (E) that fits into substrate (S) and forms E-S complex which changes into product P and E.

Enzymes increase the speed of reactions. They can catalyze several million of reactions per second.

14.21

There are two common types of secondary structure of proteins:

(i) α–helix structure

(ii) β–pleated sheet structure

α–Helix structure

If the size of R-groups is quite large then the intramolecular bonds are formed between the C=O of one amino acid and the N-H group of the forth amino acid residue in the chain. This causes the polypeptide chain to coil up into a spiral structure called righ handed α-helix structure.

β -pleated sheet structure

In this conformation, the polypeptide chains lie side by side in a zig0zag manner with alternate R groups on the same side situated at fixed distances apart. The two such neighbouring polypeptide chains are held together by interbounded to form a sheet. These sheets are then stacked one above the other like the pages of the book to form a 3-D structure. This structure resembles pleated folds of drapery and hence is called β–pleated sheet structure. The polypeptide chains can link together in parallel and anti- parallel sequence. Such sheet like structure can easily slip on each other. Proteins of this structure are soft.

14.20 

When two molecule of –amino acids similar or different combine in this way that the amino group of one molecule with carboxy group of the other molecule, this result in the elimination of water molecule and the formation of new bond-CO NH- .

This type of bond is called peptide bond or peptide linkage. The product of reaction is called dipeptide. For example, COOH group of valine combine with NH₂ group of alanine, we get dipeptide Valylalanine (Val-Ala) as final product, as shown below:-

2- Proteins may have one or more polypeptide chains. Each polypeptide in a protein has amino acids linked with each other in a specific sequence and due to this sequence of amino acids the structure of proteins is said to be primary structure.

Any change in this sequence of amino acids creates different proteins. In other words, the sequence in which various amino acids are arranged in a protein is called primary structure. The amino acid sequence of a protein determines its function and it's critical of its biological activity.

3- Each protein in the biological system has a unique 3-D structure and has specific biological This is called native form of a protein. When a protein in its native form is subjected to physical changes such as change in temperature, pH, etc.

hydrogen bonds are broken. Due to cleavage of hydrogen bonds, unfolding of protein molecule occurs and the protein loses its biological activity. This loss of biological activity is called denaturation. During denaturation, 2- degree and 3-degree structures of proteins are destroyed but 1-degree structure remains intact.

As a result of denaturation, globular proteins are converted into fibrous proteins. In other words, denaturation leads to coagulation. That is why coagulated proteins are also called denaturated proteins.