Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Pepsin
Pepsin is a protease, a digestive enzyme that degrades food proteins in the stomach; the other important digestive enzymes are trypsin and chymotrypsin. It was the first animal enzyme to be discovered, by Theodor Schwann in 1836.
Pepsin is expressed as a pro-form, pepsinogen with an additional 44 amino acids, which are cleaved off outside the secreting cell, to avoid digestion of cellular proteins.
Pepsin is most active at pH 2-4. It is permanently inactivated above pH 6.
The name Pepsi is derived from pepsin. Pepsin is also used in the preparation of cheese.
External links
10-26-2009 08:16:03
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details