"Enzyme"

 

Enzymes play a crucial role in biotechnology, enabling various industrial, medical, and research applications. Below are some important enzymes used in biotechnology and their applications:

1. Industrial Enzymes:

• Amylases: Break down starch into sugars. Used in food, brewing, and textile industries.
• Proteases: Hydrolyze proteins into peptides and amino acids. Used in detergents, leather processing, and food industries.
• Lipases: Break down fats into glycerol and fatty acids. Used in biodiesel production, food processing, and detergents.
• Cellulases: Degrade cellulose into glucose. Applied in biofuel production, textile, and paper industries.
• Pectinases: Break down pectin in plant cell walls. Used in fruit juice extraction and wine production.

2. Medical & Pharmaceutical Enzymes:

• Restriction Endonucleases: Cut DNA at specific sites. Essential for genetic engineering and recombinant DNA technology.
• DNA Polymerases (e.g., Taq polymerase): Used in PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) for DNA amplification.
• Ligases: Join DNA fragments. Important in cloning and gene therapy.
• Lysozyme: Breaks bacterial cell walls. Used in antibiotics and food preservation.
• L-Asparaginase: Breaks down asparagine. Used in leukemia treatment.
• Acetylcholinesterase: Used in nerve agent detection and treatment of neurological disorders.

3. Agricultural & Environmental Enzymes:

• Phytases: Break down phytic acid in animal feed to improve nutrient absorption.
• Chitinases: Degrade chitin in fungal cell walls. Used as biopesticides.
• Nitrogenase: Fixes atmospheric nitrogen. Used in biofertilizers.
• Laccases: Degrade lignin and pollutants. Used in bioremediation and wastewater treatment.

4. Research & Molecular Biology Enzymes:

• Reverse Transcriptase: Converts RNA into DNA. Used in cDNA synthesis and diagnostics.
• Ribonucleases (RNases): Degrade RNA. Important for RNA analysis and molecular biology techniques.
• Helicases: Unwind DNA strands. Used in DNA replication and research.