Question

What is the function of alcohol dehydrogenase?

Answer 1

Alcohol dehydrogenase:

1. Alcohol dehydrogenase is an enzyme mainly found in the stomach and liver. The systematic name for this enzyme is alcohol: NAD(P) + oxidoreductase. Other commonly used names include retinal reductase, aldehyde reductase (NADPH/NADH), and alcohol dehydrogenase [NAD(P)].

Function:

1. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) are responsible for the metabolism of most of the ethanol consumed in the diet and their activities contribute to the rate at which ethanol is eliminated from the blood.
2. This enzyme is involved in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.
3. The enzymes facilitate the interconversion between alcohol or ketone and aldehyde with the reduction of ${\mathrm{NAD}}^{+}\mathrm{to}\mathrm{NADH}$.
4. In yeast, alcohol dehydrogenase catalyzes the formation of ethanol and ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ from pyruvic acid in the fermentation process.