Question

Write the main function of pepsin.

Answer 1

Pepsin is a proteolytic enzyme that is produced by specialized cells in the stomach called chief cells. It is a part of gastric juice and aids in digestion of food. Pepsin is active only in the acidic environment inside the stomach (pH 1.5-2.5), and it breaks down the large polypeptides into smaller peptide fragments. Pepsin preferentially hydrolyses the peptide bond that contain the amine group of the aromatic amino acids (tryptophan, phenylalanine and tyrosine).