Entsyyymi

Entsyyymi is the Finnish word for the biological molecule that acts as a catalyst in living organisms. In biology, enzymes are typically proteins consisting of amino acids, though a subset of RNA molecules—ribozymes—have catalytic properties. Enzymes accelerate chemical reactions by lowering activation energy and provide substrate specificity. They bind substrates at an active site, often undergoing conformational changes (induced fit).

Enzymes are produced by cells through gene expression, localized to cytoplasm or organelles; they control nearly all physiological processes including digestion, metabolism, and DNA replication. Enzyme activity is regulated by factors such as temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and regulatory molecules. Enzyme activity can be modulated by cofactors or coenzymes (metal ions, NAD+, FAD, heme) and by inhibitors.

Enzymes are categorized by the reactions they catalyze into six main classes according to the EC system: oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases. They often require cofactors for activity. Enzymes can be inhibited competitively or noncompetitively; allosteric regulation enables control of activity; some are activated by phosphorylation.

Digestive enzymes like amylase, protease, lipase; metabolic enzymes such as lactase, hexokinase; DNA polymerase. In industry, enzymes are used in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Enzymes can be immobilized for reuse.

In Finnish-language texts, entsyymi denotes the generic concept of enzyme; the term is used similarly to “enzyme” in English. The concept is universal across biology and medicine.