NOMENCLATURE &CLASSIFICATION

OF ENZYMES
 ENZYMES
• Biological catalysts which speed up the rate of reaction
without becoming part of the reaction but themselves cannot
initiate any chemical reaction.
• Enzymes :
• First name is of substrate
• second, ending in “ASE” indicating type of reaction catalyzed.
• Clarify the reaction , e.g. Malic Enzyme
• L- Malate + NAD  Pyruvate + NADH-H + CO2
• Malate NAD oxidoreductase (Decarboxylating)
 Trival name
• Gives no idea of source, function or reaction
catalyzed by the enzyme.
• Example: trypsin, thrombin, pepsin.
 Systematic Name
• According to the International union Of
Biochemistry an enzyme name has two parts:
-First part is the name of the substrates for
the enzyme.
-Second part is the type of reaction catalyzed
by the enzyme.This part ends with the suffix
“ase”.
Example: Lactate dehydrogenase
 EC number
• Enzymes are classified into six different groups
according to the reaction being catalyzed.
• The nomenclature was determined by the Enzyme
Commission in 1961 (with the latest update having
occurred in 1992), hence all enzymes are assigned an
“EC” number.
• The classification does not take into account amino
acid sequence (ie, homology), protein structure, or
chemical mechanism.
 EC numbers
• EC numbers are four digits, for example a.b.c.d, where
“a” is the class, “b” is the subclass, “c” is the sub-
subclass, and “d” is the sub-sub-subclass. The “b” and
“c” digits describe the reaction, while the “d” digit is
used to distinguish between different enzymes of the
same function based on the actual substrate in the
reaction.
• Example: for Alcohol:NAD+oxidoreductase EC
number is 1.1.1.1
 CLASSIFICATION OF ENZYMES
Formulated by the enzyme commission of I.U.B six major
classes based on the type of reactions catalyzed( 7 class
1. Oxidoreductases
• Catalyzing oxidation reduction reactions
2. Transferases
• Catalyzing group transfer
3. Hydrolases
• Catalyzing hydrolytic breakdown
 Classification of Enzymes
4. Lyases
• Catalysing removal of groups by mechanism other than
hydrolysis and leaving behind double bonds
5. Isomerases
• Catalysing interconversion of isomers
6. Ligases
• Catalysing formation of bonds and new compounds
1. Oxidoreductases
– Catalysing oxidation reduction reaction where one
substrate is oxidized and other is reduced
 CLASSIFICATION OF ENZYMES

Oxidases. Catalyzing oxidation of the substrate and

atomic oxygen acts as recipient of hydrogen e.g.
Ascorbic acid oxidase, Cytochrome oxidase, Tyrosinase

Ascorbic acid
Oxidase
Ascorbic acid + O2 Dehydro ascorbic
acid
 CLASSIFICATION OF ENZYMES

Aerobic Dehydrogenases.
Catalyzing oxidation of the substrate and molecular
oxygen acts as recipients of hydrogen e.g. Glucose
oxidase, L amino acid dehydrogenase, Xanthene
dehydrogenase

glucose oxidase
Glucose Gluconolactone
 CLASSIFICATION OF ENZYMES
Anaerobic Dehydrogenases. Catalyzing oxidation of
the substrate and coenzymes act as recipients of hydrogen
e.g. Lactate Dehydrogenase with NAD and Glucose 6
phosphate dehydrogenase with NADP

Lactate
dehydrogenase
Lactic acid Pyruvic acid
+ NAD + NADH – H+
 CLASSIFICATION OF ENZYMES
Oxygenases:
Is an enzyme that oxidizes a substrate by transferring
the oxygen from molecular oxygen O2 (as in air) to it.
Types :

a. Monooxygenases:
Transfer one oxygen atom to the substrate, and reduce the
other oxygen atom to water.
b. Dioxygenases:
Incorporate both atoms of molecular oxygen (O2) into the
product(s) of the reaction.
Among the most important monooxygenases are
the cytochrome P450 oxidases, responsible for breaking
down numerous chemicals in the body.
 2.TRANSFERASES
Transaminases. Catalyzing transfer of amino group between
an amino acid and a ketoacid e.g. Aspartate transaminase (AST),
Alanine transaminase (ALT)
Aspartate
transaminase (AST)
Glutamic acid +  ketoglutaric
acid +
Oxalo acetic acid Aspartic acid

Alanine
transaminase (ALT)
Glutamic acid +  ketoglutaric
acid +
Pyruvic acid Alanine
 2.TRANSFERASES
Transmethylases. Catalyzing transfer of methyl group between
to substrates e.g. COMT

Catechol-O-
methyltransferase (COMT)
Noradrenalin Adrenaline
+ CH3
Transpeptidases. Catalyzing transfer of amino acids to
substrates e.g. Benzyl-SCoA transpeptidase

Benzyl-SCoA
transpeptidase
Benzyl - SCoA Hippuric acid
+ Glycine
 2. TRANSFERASES
Phosphotransferases. Catalyzing transfer of phosphate
group to substrates e.g. Hexokinase, glucokinase

2.7.1.1 ATP D hexose 6 phosphotransferase [Hexokinase]

ATP + Glucose Hexokinase ADP + D-Glucose –6-P
Acetyltransferase. Catalyzing transfer of acetyl group to
substrates e.g. choline acetyltransferase
Acetyl-CoA+ Choline  CoA + Acetyl- Choline
 3. HYDROLASES
Catalysing hydrolytic breakdown of different bonds. Most of the GIT
enzymes belong to this class
Enzymes hydrolyzing carbohydrates
1. Polysaccharidases
Starch Amylase Maltose, maltotrios, dextrins

2. Oligosaccharidases
Dextrins Dextrinase glucose

3. Disacharidases
Maltose, Lactose, Sucrose Disacharidases Maltase, Lactase, Sucrase
monosaccharides
Enzymes Hydrolyzing Lipids
Triacyl glycerol lipase monoacyl glycerol + 2 F.F.A

Cholesterol ester cholesterol free cholesterol + FFA

esterase
 3. HYDROLASES
Phospholipids Phospholipase lysophospholipids

Lecithin Lysolecithin
Enzymes Acting on Peptide Bonds:

exopeptidases carboxypeptidase amino acids

endopeptidase aminopeptidases e. g pepsin (smaller peptides)

 3. HYDROLASES
Tripeptidase : Tripeptide  A.A
Dipeptidase : Dipeptide  A.A
Phosphatases
1. Phosphomonoesterases:
Glucose – 6.P. + H2O Phosphatase G 6. Phosphate Glucose +Pi

2. Phosphodiesterases:
Removal of phosphate Group of diesters breakdown of 3’-5’ p
linkages in cyclic AMP
 4. LYASES
• Catalysing reactions in which groups are removed without
hydrolysis leaving a double bond or add groups to already existing
double bonds.

CH3. CO. COOH CH3. CHO+ CO2

(pyruvate) pyruvate decarboxylase (acetaldehyde)

COOH.CH = CH. COOH Fumerase COOH-CHOH. CH2-COOH

(Fumaric acid) (malic acid)
 5. ISOMERASES
• Involved in inter conversion of pair of isomeric compounds

• Glucose 6. P Phosphogluco mutase glucose I.P

• Glucose 6.P Phosphohexose isomerase Fructose 6.P

• All trans retinene Retinene 11- CIS retinene

Isomerase
 6. LIGASES
• Catalyze reactions in which linking together of two
molecules occur coupled with the breakdown of a high
energy phosphate bonds like ATP, GTP
Acetate + CoA +ATP Acetyl CoA Acetyl CoA+AMP
Synthetase

Succinate + CoA + ATP Succinyl CoA Succinyl CoA + ADP+ Pi

Synthetase

Pyruvate + CO2 + ATP Pyruvate Oxaloacetate + ADP + Pi

Carboxylase

Fatty acid + CoA + ATP Acyl CoA Acyl CoA (Activated fatty acid) + AMP + PiPi
Synthetase
ATP + -L-glutamyl-L-cysteine + glycine ADP + phosphate + glutathione
 EC 7.Translocases
• Catalyze the movement of ions or molecules across
membranes or their separation within membranes
• E.g, Although the hydrolytic reaction is not the
primary function, several of these enzymes are
involved the hydrolysis of ATP had been previously
classified as ATPases (EC 3.6.3.-). Nowadays, these
enzymes have been classified under a new EC class
of translocases (EC 7).