- Joined
- Jul 23, 2004
- Messages
- 366
- Reaction score
- 0
If an enzyme's name is reductase does that mean the enzyme is reduced or oxidized?
reductase vs. oxidase
- Thread starter shaq786
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2002
- Messages
- 5,046
- Reaction score
- 8
Reductase would mean that the enzyme catalyzes reduction of the substrate, so it would itself be oxidized.
A
Assembler
An oxidizing agent oxides a compound, but is in turn reduced itself.
A reducing agent reduces a compound, but is in turn oxidized itself.
Think of the ETC:
You have NADH Dehydrogenase:
NADH + H+ -> NAD+
In this case, the Dehydrogenase oxidizes NADH to NAD+, and the electrons are then accepted by the enzyme, so the enzyme is reduced.
And Cytochrome oxidase (actually, a reductase):
1/2 O2 + H2 -> H2O
The reductase is reducing the electron acceptor (O2), and in turn cytochrome oxidase is being oxidized.
Basic Principle:
Redox (Reduction-Oxidation)
Knowing what happens to one thing, you can easily figure what happened to the other.
A reducing agent reduces a compound, but is in turn oxidized itself.
Think of the ETC:
You have NADH Dehydrogenase:
NADH + H+ -> NAD+
In this case, the Dehydrogenase oxidizes NADH to NAD+, and the electrons are then accepted by the enzyme, so the enzyme is reduced.
And Cytochrome oxidase (actually, a reductase):
1/2 O2 + H2 -> H2O
The reductase is reducing the electron acceptor (O2), and in turn cytochrome oxidase is being oxidized.
Basic Principle:
Redox (Reduction-Oxidation)
Knowing what happens to one thing, you can easily figure what happened to the other.
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2002
- Messages
- 837
- Reaction score
- 1
Would the enzyme itself be oxidized? I don't think so. It just catalizes the reduction of some compound. The enzyme does not participate in the reaction. Was that your question?
A
Assembler
This is a bit of a strange question.
First of all, the enzyme does participate in the reaction (how else does it catalyze it?). It is just not consumed. So, even if it were temporarily oxidized/reduced, it doesn't really matter, because in the end it will be the same as it originally was.
Don't bother stressing about the enzyme itself. If you want to focus on something, focus on what's happening with the substrates and products (in terms of the redox stuff).
First of all, the enzyme does participate in the reaction (how else does it catalyze it?). It is just not consumed. So, even if it were temporarily oxidized/reduced, it doesn't really matter, because in the end it will be the same as it originally was.
Don't bother stressing about the enzyme itself. If you want to focus on something, focus on what's happening with the substrates and products (in terms of the redox stuff).
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2002
- Messages
- 5,046
- Reaction score
- 8
princessd3 said:
It could be. For example, rubisco activase is active in its reduced form, inactive in its oxidized form. There is also the chance that a cofactor would be required by the enzyme (i.e. NADPH), and that cofactor can be oxidized or reduced, depending on the reaction occurring.
