Disassembling and Reassembling of Proteins Essay

Disassembling and Reassembling of Proteins - Essay Example As the paper highlights after leaving the stomach, food goes through the oesophagus into the stomach where the onset of protein digestion occurs. The hydrochloric acid is released in preparation for digestion, and plays a critical role in activating pepsinogen into pepsin, the enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of proteins. The HCl intrinsic factor also aids in the conversion of proteins into metaproteins, making the catalysis of the breakdown easier since peptidases break down metaproteins easily. Interaction of proteins with hydrochloric acid triggers denaturation, making digestion easier. The acidic environment serves as a favorable environment for the activity of the activated pepsin. Pepsin takes an active role in breaking down proteins into peptides.This paper stresses that digestion of protein continues in the small intestines because pepsin activity of breaking down proteins is partial. The resulting peptides need further digestion in their constitute amino acids that can be absorbed by the small intestines DNA. In the case of infants, the enzyme rennin is present in the stomach, and its major responsibility is acting on casein, converting it to a soluble protein molecule named paracasein. In the reaction that follows, calcium ions encounter paracasein, and calcium paracaseinate forms. Pepsin then acts on paracaseinate, digestive it into simpler molecules.  In the small intestines, pancreaticpeptidases such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, and carboxypeptidase indulge in further digestion of the peptides.