Hydrolysis of sucrose by sucrase enzyme

Summary

This animation explains how the enzyme sucrase on intestinal cells catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into glucose and fructose. When sucrose binds to the enzyme's active site, it triggers a conformational change, exposing the oxygen bridge to water molecules. This allows a water molecule to break the bond, cleaving the disaccharide into two monosaccharides. The enzyme then returns to its original shape, ready for another sucrose molecule, repeating this process until it becomes inactive.

Takeaways

• 📚 Enzymes play a crucial role in the body's biochemical processes.
• 🔍 Sucrase is an enzyme found on the surface of microvilli in the intestinal epithelium.
• 🍬 Sucrase catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose, commonly known as table sugar.
• 🔬 Hydrolysis involves breaking the bond between glucose and fructose in sucrose.
• 💧 Water molecules are essential for the hydrolysis process, interacting with the enzyme and sucrose.
• 🔄 The enzyme's shape changes upon binding with sucrose, facilitating the reaction.
• ⚖️ The oxygen bridge between glucose and fructose is exposed to water, allowing the bond to be broken.
• 🔄 The enzyme returns to its original shape after the reaction, ready for another cycle.
• 🚫 Enzyme activity can cease due to denaturation, inhibition, or exhaustion.
• ♻️ The process of hydrolysis can be repeated many times until the enzyme is no longer functional.

Q & A

What is the role of the enzyme sucrase in the body?

Sucrase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into its component monosaccharides, glucose and fructose.

Where is the enzyme sucrase located?

Sucrase resides on the surface of the microvilli on the intestinal epithelial mucosal cell surfaces.

What is the common name for the disaccharide sucrose?

Sucrose is commonly known as table sugar.

How does the enzyme sucrase catalyze the hydrolysis of sucrose?

Sucrase catalyzes the hydrolysis by changing its configuration to expose the oxygen bridge between the monosaccharides to water molecules, allowing a water molecule to break the bond.

What happens to the sucrose molecule when it binds to the active site of the enzyme?

When sucrose binds to the active site of sucrase, the enzyme's configuration changes to expose the oxygen bridge to water molecules.

What is the result of the exposure of the oxygen bridge to water molecules?

The exposure allows a water molecule to break the bond between the monosaccharides, cleaving the bond and converting sucrose into glucose and fructose.

How does the enzyme's configuration change after the hydrolysis is accomplished?

After hydrolysis, the enzyme's configuration changes back to its original shape, making the active site available for another sucrose molecule.

What are the names of the two monosaccharides produced from the hydrolysis of sucrose?

The hydrolysis of sucrose produces two monosaccharides: glucose (blood sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar).

How many times can the enzyme's action be repeated?

The enzyme's action can be repeated many times until the enzyme becomes denatured, inhibited, or wears out.

What is meant by the enzyme becoming 'denatured'?

Denaturation refers to the alteration of the enzyme's structure that causes it to lose its function.

What is the significance of the enzyme's ability to change its configuration?

The ability of the enzyme to change its configuration allows it to bind to the substrate, catalyze the reaction, and release the products, which is essential for its catalytic function.