CARBOHYDRASE Meaning and
Definition
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Carbohydrase refers to a class of enzymes that catalyze the breakdown or synthesis of carbohydrates. These enzymes, also known as glycosidases, play a crucial role in biological systems by participating in the digestion and metabolism of complex carbohydrates. They facilitate the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds present in carbohydrates, which results in the generation of smaller sugar molecules.
Carbohydrases are classified into three main types based on the specific glycosidic bonds they target: amylases, cellulases, and invertases. Amylases primarily act on starch and glycogen, converting them into simpler sugars like maltose and glucose. On the other hand, cellulases specifically target cellulose, breaking it down into glucose units. Invertases, also known as sucrases, hydrolyze the glycosidic bond in sucrose, converting it into glucose and fructose.
In addition to their role in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, carbohydrases are also involved in various industrial processes. They are extensively employed in food and beverage industries for enhancing taste, texture, and quality of products, such as baking, brewing, and fruit juice production. Moreover, carbohydrases find applications in the production of biofuels, paper, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
Overall, carbohydrases are essential enzymes that mediate the metabolism of carbohydrates in living organisms, promoting digestion and facilitating the utilization of important energy sources. Their diverse applications across industries make them significant biocatalysts with numerous industrial and scientific implications.
Common Misspellings for CARBOHYDRASE
- carbohydrade
- Carbohydryde
- xarbohydrase
- varbohydrase
- farbohydrase
- darbohydrase
- czrbohydrase
- csrbohydrase
- cwrbohydrase
- cqrbohydrase
- caebohydrase
- cadbohydrase
- cafbohydrase
- catbohydrase
- ca5bohydrase
- ca4bohydrase
- carvohydrase
- carnohydrase
- carhohydrase
- cargohydrase
- carbihydrase
- carbkhydrase
Etymology of CARBOHYDRASE
The word "carbohydrase" is derived from two parts: "carbohydrate" and the suffix "-ase".
The term "carbohydrate" comes from the French word "carbohydrate", formed by combining "carbo-" meaning "coal" or "charcoal" and "hydrate" meaning "composed of water". This term was first used by French chemist Marie Antoine Lavoisier in the late 18th century to describe compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which resemble hydrated carbon.
The suffix "-ase" is commonly used in biology to denote an enzyme. It comes from the Greek word "ázein" meaning "to ferment" or "to cause". The suffix serves to indicate that the word refers to an enzyme that acts upon a specific substrate, in this case, carbohydrates.
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