Before it can be used by the body, the protein must be digested into small pieces, which are then converted into amino acids.
Pepsin is a digestive enzyme that plays an important role in that process. Pepsin only works well in certain circumstances.
challenge
Produces digestive enzymes that can digest protein constitute an interesting mechanism.
Before release from the cell, the protein-digesting enzymes must be in the off state. Active enzyme will only digest the cell manufacturer which incidentally is also formed from protein.
That's because, when it was first produced, shaped pepsin inactive compound known as pepsinogen.
When exposed to stomach acid, pepsinogen then activated and turns into pepsin.
activation Pepsin
After leaving the main cell (cell maker), pepsinogen be directly exposed to the highly acidic environment of the stomach.
low pH in the stomach will trigger the conversion of pepsinogen into pepsin. 44-amino acid on pepsinogen into pepsin is cut so as to activate.
Pepsin that are actively ready to digest the protein in food. Protein digestion by pepsin results will be sent to the small intestine to digest further.
Activation conditions
Pepsinogen into pepsin is activated only under acidic conditions. As with other proteins and enzymes, pH influence the shape, structure and stability.
optimal pH for the activation of pepsinogen into pepsin is 2. At high pH, will not be active pepsinogen and pepsin that has been inactive will not be able to maintain its activity.
Pepsin is a member of a class of enzymes called proteases require a low pH acidic due to the active and break down protein function.
Pepsin cuts proteins at a place where there are amino acids phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine. Pepsin protein binding cut on the side of N branch of amino acid (the side on the nitrogen atom).
When taking antacids to relieve heartburn, the stomach pH increases.
Due to the low pH required for the activity of pepsin digestion, the stomach will react by secreting more hydrochloric acid to maintain the pH remains low.
Hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen secretion stimulated by a hormone called gastrin, which is secreted by the stomach lining.
