酶的研究与生命科学(一):酶本质的理解和认识

Enzymes and life sciences(Ⅰ):understanding the nature of enzyme

酶是生物催化剂,通过催化化学反应而参与了几乎所有生命过程,因此对酶的研究既深化了对生命现象的理解和认识,又为相关疾病治疗提供了新方案。1897年无细胞酵母发酵的发现启动了现代酶学研究的序幕,随后几十年先后分离并合成辅酶,证明酶的本质为蛋白质,发现了具有催化功能RNA等,此外,通过解析核糖核酸酶结构而阐明一级结构决定高级结构以及结构与活性之间的关联等,这些成果极大地拓展了人们对酶本质的理解和认识,做出卓越贡献的科学家也因此荣获诺贝尔奖。

Enzymes are biological catalysts and involved in almost all life processes by catalyzing chemical reactions. So the studies on enzyme do not only deepen the understanding of life phenomenon, but also provide new treatments for related diseases. It is the discovery of cell-free fermentation in 1897 that initiates modem enzymology. From then, several achievements were made including separation and synthesis of coenzyme, identification on protein nature of enzyme, discovery of catalytic RNA in the following several decades. In addition, the elucidation of primary structure of ribonuclease is important for connection between the amino acid sequence and the biologically active conformation, and connection between chemical structure and catalytic activity. These achievements greatly expand the understanding the nature of enzyme, and scientists who contributed to these were awarded the Nobel Prize.