Enzymology

Enzymology (from ancient Greek ζύμη - leaven, yeast and λόγος - study) is a branch of biochemistry, the science of enzymes.

Enzymology studies the structure and properties of enzymes, their mechanisms of action, their localization and functions in cells and organisms. The main tasks of enzymology are the isolation and purification of enzymes, the establishment of their structure and the relationship between structure and function, the study of the kinetics of enzymatic reactions and the mechanisms of action of enzymes.

Much attention in enzymology is paid to applied aspects - the use of enzymes in industry, medicine, and agriculture. The creation of new highly active enzymes using genetic engineering methods and the immobilization of enzymes on carriers are important areas of modern applied enzymology.

Thus, enzymology plays a key role in the study of biochemical processes and is of great practical importance.

Enzymology (from the Greek words "zyme" - yeast and "logos" - science) is the science that deals with the study of yeast and the fermentation process.

Fermentation is the process of decomposition of organic substances under the action of enzymes secreted by microorganisms, including yeast. As a result of fermentation, various substances are formed, such as ethanol, acetic acid, lactic acid and others. The fermentation process has been used by humans since ancient times to produce bread, wine, beer, cheese and many other food products.

Enzymology studies the biochemical basis of yeast activity, the mechanisms of enzymatic reactions, and factors influencing the activity of yeast enzymes. Enzymologists study the genetics and physiology of yeast and develop new strains of yeast for use in the food industry, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. Advances in enzymology are widely used to optimize technological processes of fermentation and improve the quality of products obtained through fermentation.

For those who are just discovering the world of wine, the term “enzymology” may sound mysterious and incomprehensible. In fact, this is a fascinating applied area of ​​science, which is the study of fermentation processes of microorganisms: yeast, bacteria, algae.

Winemaking technology is based on the same processes as in nature. Fermentation is a complex, multi-component process in which the yeast obtains nutrition from the grapes in the form of sugars and alcohol. As a result of their vital activity, hundreds of different substances are produced, among which it is necessary to highlight:

* acetic acid; * lactic acid;

* glycerins; * ethanol and many others.

All processed products remain inside the yeast cells as reserve nutrients. The life cycle of yeast begins under favorable conditions of existence necessary for their reproduction: acidity, temperature, the presence of sugar and nitrogenous substances in the environment. The maximum amount of yeast emissions can be observed with the simultaneous absence or deficiency of these components in the environment, where, after the death and decomposition of yeast, in the further absence of suitable conditions, millions of small, thin cells responsible for fermentation - alcoholic - reappear.