One example: when we eat, the digestive tract (small bowel) has to break down proteins, fat, carbohydrates to their smallest units (amino acids from proteins, fatty acids from fat and sugars from carbohydrates respectively), so that they can be absorbed. Without digestion the organism cannot utilize the food stuff. Digestion occurs with the help of enzymes: proteases, lipases and hydrolases (for carbohydrates). And most important, it happens at body temperature = 37 degrees C.Without enzymes you would need to boil proteins in strong hydrochloric acid overnight. Otherwise food stays intact and is of little nutritional value. |
Enzyme function Enzymes facilitate chemical reactions from A + B to AB. Without enzymes the yield may be very low. As in the example of digestion gut enzymes are needed to break-down food which we eat into nutrients the body can utilize. Without this machinery we would starve in spite of eating enough. |
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