Enzymes: A Very Short Introduction

Enzymes: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Paul Engel
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192558803
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 193

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Book Description
Enzymes are the astonishing, tiny molecular machines that make life possible. Each one of these small proteins speeds up a single chemical reaction inside a living organism many millionfold. Working together, teams of enzymes carry out all the processes that collectively we recognise as life, from making DNA to digesting food. This Very Short Introduction explains the why and the how of speeding up these reactions - catalysis - before going on to reveal how we have evolved these catalysts of such extraordinary power and exquisite selectivity. Paul Engel shows how X-ray crystallography has revealed the complex molecular shapes that allow enzymes to function at an extraordinarily sophisticated level. He also examines medical aspects of enzymes, both in the way faulty enzymes cause disease and in the way enzymes can be used for diagnosis and therapy. Finally, he looks at the many varied ways in which individual enzymes, taken out of their biological context, are used nowadays as tools - in washing powders, food production, waste treatment, and chemical synthesis. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Enzymes: A Very Short Introduction

Enzymes: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Paul Engel
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192558803
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 193

Get Book Here

Book Description
Enzymes are the astonishing, tiny molecular machines that make life possible. Each one of these small proteins speeds up a single chemical reaction inside a living organism many millionfold. Working together, teams of enzymes carry out all the processes that collectively we recognise as life, from making DNA to digesting food. This Very Short Introduction explains the why and the how of speeding up these reactions - catalysis - before going on to reveal how we have evolved these catalysts of such extraordinary power and exquisite selectivity. Paul Engel shows how X-ray crystallography has revealed the complex molecular shapes that allow enzymes to function at an extraordinarily sophisticated level. He also examines medical aspects of enzymes, both in the way faulty enzymes cause disease and in the way enzymes can be used for diagnosis and therapy. Finally, he looks at the many varied ways in which individual enzymes, taken out of their biological context, are used nowadays as tools - in washing powders, food production, waste treatment, and chemical synthesis. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Biochemistry

Biochemistry PDF Author: Mark Lorch
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192570625
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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Book Description
Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring From the simplest bacteria to humans, all living things are composed of cells of one type or another, all of which have fundamentally the same chemistry. This chemistry must provide mechanisms that allow cells to interact with the external world, a means to power the cell, machinery to carry out varied processes within the cell, a structure within which everything runs, and also governance through a web of interlocking chemical reactions. Biochemistry is the study of those reactions, the molecules that are created, manipulated, and destroyed as a result of them, and the massive macromolecules (such as DNA, cytoskeletons, proteins and carbohydrates) that form the chemical machinery and structures on which these biochemical reactions take place. It didn't take long for an understanding of the chemistry of life to turn into a desire to manipulate it. Drugs and therapies all aim to modify biochemical processes for good or ill: Penicillin, derived from mould, stops bacteria making their cell walls. Aspirin, with its origins in willow bark, inhibits enzymes involved in inflammatory responses. A few nanograms of botulinum toxin (botox), can kill by preventing the release of neurotransmitters from the ends of nerves and so leads to paralysis and death, or give a wrinkle free forehead (if administered in very tiny quantities).This Very Short Introduction discusses the key concepts of biochemistry, as well as the historical figures in the field and the molecules they studied, before considering the current science and innovations in the field, and the interaction between biochemistry, biotechnology, and synthetic biology. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Astrobiology: A Very Short Introduction

Astrobiology: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: David C. Catling
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199586454
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
Astrobiologists study the origin and evolution of life on Earth and the possibility of life beyond Earth; a question that has fascinated scientists for hundreds of years. In this Very Short Introduction, David C. Catling introduces the latest scientific understanding of astrobiology, incorporating aspects of microbiology, geology, and astronomy.

Enzymes

Enzymes PDF Author: Robert A. Copeland
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0471461857
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 416

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Book Description
Fully updated and expanded-a solid foundation for understandingexperimental enzymology. This practical, up-to-date survey is designed for a broadspectrum of biological and chemical scientists who are beginning todelve into modern enzymology. Enzymes, Second Editionexplains the structural complexities of proteins and enzymes andthe mechanisms by which enzymes perform their catalytic functions.The book provides illustrative examples from the contemporaryliterature to guide the reader through concepts and data analysisprocedures. Clear, well-written descriptions simplify the complexmathematical treatment of enzyme kinetic data, and numerouscitations at the end of each chapter enable the reader to accessthe primary literature and more in-depth treatments of specifictopics. This Second Edition of Enzymes: A Practical Introductionto Structure, Mechanism, and Data Analysis features refinedand expanded coverage of many concepts, while retaining theintroductory nature of the book. Important new featuresinclude: A new chapter on protein-ligand binding equilibria Expanded coverage of chemical mechanisms in enzyme catalysisand experimental measurements of enzyme activity Updated and refined discussions of enzyme inhibitors andmultiple substrate reactions Coverage of current practical applications to the study ofenzymology Supplemented with appendices providing contact information forsuppliers of reagents and equipment for enzyme studies, as well asa survey of useful Internet sites and computer software forenzymatic data analysis, Enzymes, Second Edition isthe ultimate practical guide for scientists and students inbiochemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnical, medicinal, andagricultural/food-related research.

Fundamentals of Enzymology

Fundamentals of Enzymology PDF Author: Nicholas C. Price
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780198502296
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 478

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Book Description
Since the publication of the successful and popular second edition of Fundamentals of Enzymology in 1989 there has been a large increase in the knowledge of several aspects of enzymology, not least the rapid acceleration of structural characterization of enzymes and the development of the field of bioinformatics. This new edition places appropriate emphasis on the new knowledge and consolidates the strengths of the previous editions. As before, Fundamentals of Enzymology 3rd ed gives anall-round view of the field including enzyme purification and characterization, enzyme structure (including information on the web), enzyme kinetics, the mechanisms and control of enzyme action, enzyme folding, how enzymes act in vivo, enzyme synthesis and degradation, and also clinical and industrial applications of enzymology. Throughout the book, the integration of these themes is stressed.

Enzyme Assays

Enzyme Assays PDF Author: Robert Eisenthal
Publisher: Practical Approach
ISBN: 9780199638208
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
Enzyme assays are among the most frequently performed procedures in biochemistry and are routinely used to estimate the amount of enzyme present in a cell or tissue, to follow the purification of an enzyme, or to determine the kinetic parameters of a system. The range of techniques used to measure the rate of an enzyme-catalysed reaction is limited only by the nature of the chemical change and the ingenuity of the investigator. This book describes the design and execution of enzyme assays, covering both general principles and specific chapters. Building upon the highly popular first edition, this book combines revised or rewritten chapters with entirely new contributions. Topics include experimental protocols covering photometric, radiometric, HPLC, and electrochemical assays, along with methods for determining enzyme assays after gel electrophoresis. The theory underlying each method is outlined, together with a description of the instrumentation, sensitivity and sources of error. Also included are chapters on the principles of enzyme assay and kinetic studies; techniques for enzyme extraction; high- throughout screening; statistical analysis of enzyme kinetic data; and the determination of active site concentration. This second edition of Enzyme Assays will be valuable not only to biochemists, but to researchers in all areas of the life sciences.

Enzymes in Industry

Enzymes in Industry PDF Author: Wolfgang Aehle
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 3527617108
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 516

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Book Description
Leading experts from all over the world present an overview of the use of enzymes in industry for: - the production of bulk products, such as glucose, or fructose - food processing and food analysis - laundry and automatic dishwashing detergents - the textile, pulp and paper and animal feed industries - clinical diagnosis and therapy - genetic engineering. The book also covers identification methods of new enzymes and the optimization of known ones, as well as the regulatory aspects for their use in industrial applications. Up to date and wide in scope, this is a chance for non-specialists to acquaint themselves with this rapidly growing field. '...The quality...is so great that there is no hesitation in recommending it as ideal reading for any student requiring an introduction to enzymes. ...Enzymes in Industry - should command a place in any library, industrial or academic, where it will be frequently used.' The Genetic Engineer and Biotechnologist 'Enzymes in Industry' is an excellent introduction into the field of applied enzymology for the reader who is not familiar with the subject. ... offers a broad overview of the use of enzymes in industrial applications. It is up-to-date and remarkable easy to read, despite the fact that almost 50 different authors contributed. The scientist involved in enzyme work should have this book in his or her library. But it will also be of great value to the marketing expert interested in the present use of enzymes and their future in food and nonfood applications.' Angewandte Chemie 'This book should be available to all of those working with, or aspiring to work with, enzymes. In particular academics should use this volume as a source book to ensure that their 'new' projects will not 'reinvent the wheel'.' Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology

Introduction to Enzyme and Coenzyme Chemistry

Introduction to Enzyme and Coenzyme Chemistry PDF Author: T. D. H. Bugg
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118348990
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
Enzymes are giant macromolecules which catalyse biochemical reactions. They are remarkable in many ways. Their three-dimensional structures are highly complex, yet they are formed by spontaneous folding of a linear polypeptide chain. Their catalytic properties are far more impressive than synthetic catalysts which operate under more extreme conditions. Each enzyme catalyses a single chemical reaction on a particular chemical substrate with very high enantioselectivity and enantiospecificity at rates which approach “catalytic perfection”. Living cells are capable of carrying out a huge repertoire of enzyme-catalysed chemical reactions, some of which have little or no precedent in organic chemistry. The popular textbook Introduction to Enzyme and Coenzyme Chemistry has been thoroughly updated to include information on the most recent advances in our understanding of enzyme action, with additional recent examples from the literature used to illustrate key points. A major new feature is the inclusion of two-colour figures, and the addition of over 40 new figures of the active sites of enzymes discussed in the text, in order to illustrate the interplay between enzyme structure and function. This new edition provides a concise but comprehensive account from the perspective of organic chemistry, what enzymes are, how they work, and how they catalyse many of the major classes of enzymatic reactions, and will continue to prove invaluable to both undergraduate and postgraduate students of organic, bio-organic and medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.

On Biomineralization

On Biomineralization PDF Author: Heinz A. Lowenstam
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0195364198
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 335

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Book Description
Focusing on the basic principles of mineral formation by organisms, this comprehensive volume explores questions that relate to a wide variety of fields, from biology and biochemistry, to paleontology, geology, and medical research. Preserved fossils are used to date geological deposits and archaeological artifacts. Materials scientists investigate mineralized tissues to determine the design principles used by organisms to form strong materials. Many medical problems are also associated with normal and pathological mineralization. Lowenstam, the pioneer researcher in biomineralization, and Weiner discuss the basic principles of mineral formation by organisms and compare various mineralization processes. Reference tables listing all known cases in which organisms form minerals are included.

Enzymes

Enzymes PDF Author: D. A. Lopez
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781884303005
Category : Enzimler
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
Reviews the role of enzymes in health and disease, with emphasis on their importance in maintaining our health, disease prevention and their uses in medicine.