A human body consists of numerous cells and tissues to make up organs that perform special tasks. These organs do not function on their own but need critical biomolecules like lipids, carbs, proteins, and enzymes. There’s an interesting fact to note that all enzymes are proteins; however, not all proteins are enzymes. You can further read the details at https://www.biomadam.com/.
This article will help you get a detailed knowledge and understanding about the differences between enzymes and proteins, so to know more, continue reading!
Enzymes
Enzymes are characterized as proteins functioning as biological catalysts. Catalysts play a task in accelerating chemical reactions without taking part in the reaction. The molecules upon which enzymes may affect are called substrates, and also the enzyme transforms the substrates into several molecules called products. An enzyme may be a globular protein that is a biological catalyst.
It accelerates various biological reactions by subtracting the energy of the reaction by finalizing it through alternative pathways. This eventually increases the speed of the reaction. Considerably, enzymes display a high particularity to molecules binding to them. The inactive group of an enzyme is named the apoenzyme and it’s triggered by the binding of a cofactor. The triggered enzyme is named the holoenzyme. Substrates attach to the site of the enzyme.
Proteins
Proteins are defined as a type of macromolecules that consist of one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins play an important role in maintenance of structure, function, and regulation of the body’s cells, tissues, and organs. A protein is one of the four forms of biological macromolecules found within the body. It is made of a series of amino acids. The amino alkanoic acid sequence of a selected protein is determined by the knowledge encoded within the corresponding gene.
The method of the assembly of protein is named protein synthesis that occurs through two steps: transcription and translation. The unions which associate amino acids together are called peptide bonds. The synthesized polypeptide chain then shapes either the secondary structures like alpha helices and beta sheets, tertiary structures like globular proteins and fibrous proteins or quaternary structure of proteins by coming together with the protein subunits together.
Difference between Enzyme and Protein
| Proteins | Enzymes |
| Proteins are a type of macromolecules. | Enzymes are type of proteins |
| Proteins play a role in forming structures, catalyzing biochemical reactions, and regulating biological processes | Enzymes play an important role in catalysis of a reaction without taking part in the reaction. |
| Proteins can be both globular or fibrous proteins | Enzymes can only be globular type of proteins |
| All proteins are not necessarily enzymes | All enzymes are proteins |
| Proteins are classified on the basis of their chemical structure. | Enzymes are classified on the basis of their functions. |
| Proteins take part in chemical reactions. | Enzymes do not participate in any chemical reaction. |
| Proteins are not substrate specific. | Enzymes are highly substrate specific. |
| Proteins are composed of amino acid chains. | Enzymes are composed of proteins. |
| Proteins can be classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary based on the type of chain and their chemical structure. | Enzymes are classified as hydrolases, oxidoreductases, lyases, transferases, ligases, and isomerases based on their function for catalysis of reaction. |
| Proteins break down into amino acids. | Enzymes break down into proteins. |
The major difference between enzyme and protein is that the enzyme functions as a biological catalyst. On the other side proteins play a role in the structural formation, transportation, catalysis, and regulation of biological processes within the body. Proteins are formed of compound chains while enzymes are complete proteins. Enzyme and protein are two types of biomolecules found within the body, performing important functions of the body.
An enzyme may be a form of protein while proteins are one altogether the four kinds of macromolecules found within the body. Proteins are polymers made from amino acids. DNA is a template for RNA, and successively RNA is a template for proteins. Proteins have many functions. When proteins have the detailed action of lowering the energy of activation in a reaction, it’s supposed to be an enzyme.
An enzyme refers to a substance produced by a living organism which acts as a catalyst to evoke a selected biochemical reaction while a protein refers to any of a category of nitrogenous organic compounds, which have large molecules composed of 1 or more long chains of amino acids and are an important a component of all living organisms, especially as structural components of body tissues and also act as enzymes and antibodies. Hence, this explains the essential difference between enzyme and protein.
Another difference between enzyme and protein is that enzymes exist as globular proteins while proteins can either be globular or fibrous proteins.
Enzymes are classified to support their function while proteins are classified to support their chemical composition. The best function of enzymes is to catalyze biochemical reactions while proteins form structures, catalyze biochemical reactions, and regulate biological processes. This could be another major difference between enzyme and protein.
