Enzyme family

Enzyme family refers to a group of enzymes that share a common evolutionary origin, reflected by their similar structures and related functions. These families are classified based on their structural and functional properties.

Overview

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms. They are crucial for life, as they control everything from cellular function to digestion. Enzymes belong to the larger family of proteins, and like other proteins, they are made up of amino acids.

Classification

Enzyme families are classified based on their structural and functional properties. The Enzyme Commission (EC) number is a numerical classification scheme for enzymes, based on the chemical reactions they catalyze. Each enzyme is described by four numbers preceded by "EC". The first number broadly classifies the enzyme based on its mechanism.

The sequence alignments, structure predictions, and phylogenetic trees are also used to classify enzymes into families.

Examples of Enzyme Families

Some examples of enzyme families include:

• Serine proteases: This family includes enzymes that cleave peptide bonds in proteins, in which serine serves as the nucleophilic amino acid at the enzyme's active site.

• Cytochrome P450 enzymes: This is a large and diverse group of enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of organic substances.

• Hexokinases: This family of enzymes are responsible for the first step in the glycolysis pathway, the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate.

Importance of Enzyme Families

Understanding enzyme families is crucial in biochemistry, molecular biology, and medicine. It helps in predicting the function of enzymes, understanding the evolution of proteins, and designing drugs to target specific enzymes.

See Also

• Protein family
• Enzyme kinetics
• Enzyme inhibitor