Salivary amylase is an enzyme secreted into the saliva in the mouth. An enzyme is a protein which helps to catalyze a reaction. Salivary amylase catalyzes the breakdown of starch into sugar. Proteins are composed of long chains of amino acids which are then folded into a specific shape.
In order to function as an enzyme, the salivary amylase protein must be folded correctly. The function of an enzyme is very much dependent on its shape. If a protein is misfolded or unfolded, it loses its enzymatic activity.
The pH in the stomach is very low (highly acidic). High acidity causes proteins to denature (unfold). Thus, salivary amylase stops working upon reaching the stomach because the highly acidic stomach environment denatures the enzyme. Denatured (unfolded) salivary amylase is unable to catalyze the breakdown of starch into sugar.
No comments:
Post a Comment