Table of Contents
Isomerase Enzyme
An enzyme is a substance produced by cells that acts as a catalyst to accelerate a biological reaction. It is often a protein molecule with a distinctive amino acid sequence that folds to form a particular three-dimensional structure, giving the molecule special capabilities.
Isomerase enzymes catalyse the isomerisation process of a molecule. One isomer can be created from another through the process of isomerisation. An isomer is any of two or more variations of a molecule with an identical chemical formula but a distinct stereochemical configuration of the atoms.
Isomerase enzymes catalyse the processes by which functional groups are transferred within a molecule, leading to the production of isomeric forms.
The catalytic enzyme alanine racemase catalyses the transformation of L-alanine into D-alanine, an isomeric form of L-alanine. Mutarotase catalyses the conversion of α-D-glucose to β-D-glucose.
Types of Isomerase Enzyme
Glucose Isomerase
Glucose isomerase, also referred to as xylose isomerase, catalyses the reversible interconversion or interconversion of glucose and xylose into fructose and xylulose, respectively. It plays an important role in the sugar metabolism of bacteria.
Large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are produced during industrial production by this enzyme. It is also utilised for the industrial production of bioethanol.
Glucose-6-phosphate Isomerase or Phosphohexose Isomerase
The GPI gene on chromosome 19 encodes the protein phosphohexose isomerase, commonly called glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI) or phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI), or phosphohexose isomerase (PHI), which is considered to be found in the human body.
The GPI gene, a member of the glucose phosphate isomerase protein family, encodes for the GPI protein. It has been determined that the protein that seems to be encoded is a “moonlighting protein” that stands out for its capacity to play mechanistically distinct roles in various settings.
The gene product, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, is a glycolytic enzyme which interconverts glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) in the cytoplasm.
The encoded protein, also called neuroleukin, has two extracellular roles: it acts as a lymphokine that triggers the release of immunoglobulins and as a neurotrophic element that supports the survival of sensory and skeletal motor nerves.
Enoyl CoA Isomerase
Enoyl-CoA-isomerase catalyses the transformation of gamma-carbon located cis- or trans-double bonds of coenzyme A (CoA) linked fatty acids into beta-carbon located trans-double bonds. The enzyme plays a role in the beta-oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids.
Prolyl Isomerase
It is an enzyme type that can exist in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In the presence of other enzymes, Prolyl Isomerase or Peptidyl Prolyl Isomerase are involved in the isomerisation of cis and trans isomers of peptide bonds N-terminal to proline residues.
Several proteins, such as cyclophilin, FKBP binding proteins, and parvulin, have prolyl isomerase activity. Numerous studies have shown that larger proteins have a higher probability of containing prolyl isomerase regions.
Triose Phosphate Isomerase
Triose phosphate isomerase, also known as three-phosphate isomerase, is an enzyme that facilitates the reversible interconversion of the triose phosphate isomers D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate.
Triose phosphate isomerase (TPI), an essential enzyme in glycolysis, is necessary to synthesise energy rapidly.
TPI was found to be present in almost every organism that was studied by scientists, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and even animals, like insects and mammals. Other bacteria, such as Ureaplasma urealyticum, did not seem to exhibit TPI since they did not carry out glycolysis.
Applications
Manufacturing sugar is by far the most common industrial application for isomerases. Glucose isomerase catalyses the conversion of aldoses and ketoses, like most sugar isomerases.
An essential factor in the manufacturing of high-fructose corn syrup is the conversion of glucose to fructose. Isomerisation produces fructose with a better yield and no byproducts than prior chemical techniques of fructose synthesis.
Because of the strong sweetening potency of fructose, its low cost, and its inability to crystallise, high-fructose corn syrup is favoured by many manufacturers of candy and beverages.
Xylose is converted to xylulose very effectively by the enzyme glucose isomerase so that yeast can ferment it.
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