Ask A Scientist Molecular Biology Archive

status       student
age          17

Question -   Why is it necessary to have more than one enzyme in order to fully digest an enzyme?
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I am not sure you have worded your question as you intended.  A series of enzymes are often need 
to digest a single molecule to extract the molecules energy.  For example, in the digestion of 
starch, the enzyme amylase begins the digestion of the polymer of glucose.  Later, when 
individual glucose molecules are in a cell, all the enzymes of the glycolytic pathway are 
involved in the controlled stepwise breakdown of the glucose molecule to extract the maximum 
amount of energy with the least effort.  Nature has
found an amazingly clever process that employs enzymes to control the process in a 
thermodynamically favorable way.  The stepwise process allows for multiple controls at 
different steps in the breakdown and also allows for the breakdown of different sugars to enter 
at different steps in the breakdown...so when your body eats different classes of nutrients...
proteins, carbohydrates, or lipids (fats and oils) they all can be brought into the metabolic 
breakdown process at different steps and in efficient ways...life is beautiful.

Peter Faletra
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