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What are enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins and are found everywhere in nature.
The first use of enzymes occurred more than 5,000 years ago,
when people stored milk in animal stomachs, which contains
enzymes called “rennet,” that turn milk into cheese.
This is a good example of how enzymes work as
catalysts, that is, they speed up biological reactions.
Novozymes’ customers use enzymes to replace chemicals in,
and
improve
efficiency
of,
a
wide
variety
of
industrial
processes, for example in the manufacture of margarine, beer,
yogurt, concrete, leather, textiles and ethanol, where the
enzymes are not part of the end-product. Enzymes are also
used directly in products such as laundry detergents, where
they help remove stains and enable low-temperature washing.
Every enzyme has a specific function and no side effects
Enzymes have one function only, and work like a key that fits
in a lock. Only when the right enzyme finds the right material
it can work upon, does a biochemical reaction occur.
This precise correlation means you never have to worry about
side effects when enzymes are added to an industrial process.
For instance, when enzymes transform starch into sugar, you
can be sure that is all that will happen. No other material or
process will be altered or affected.
Enzymes
are
stable,
biodegradeable
and
environmentally friendly
Enzymes work at low temperature and moderate pH and
are far more stable catalysts than other chemicals or biological
molecules, making them the most environmentally-friendly
solution
for
industrial
manufacturing.
Enzymes
are
biodegradeable, and keep on working until they are dissolved,
usually by other enzymes.
Enzymes do not become part of the final product of the
biochemical reaction which they are catalyzing. When the
biochemical reaction is over, the enzyme is ready to effect the
same reaction on another molecule again and again. Given the
right conditions, the enzyme can go on and on for as long as
needed. In some production processes, this lowers costs.
When industrial enzymes leave a production plant with the
waste water, the used enzymes create no hazardous waste.
They do not last long in the surrounding environment as they
are broken down by microorganisms found in nature.
All enzymes are proteins, but not all proteins are enzymes
Proteins
are
the building blocks
of
all living organisms.
Humans, animals, plants and microorganisms are all made up
of proteins. Every part of the human body is built of proteins.
Proteins constitute about 80% of the dry weight of muscle,
70% of the dry weight of skin and 90% of the dry weight of
blood.
Proteins can be split into two groups: structural proteins and
biologically-active proteins. Structural proteins are the main
constituents of our bodies e.g. collagen, which is found in bones,
tendons and ligaments, and keratin, the protein of nails, hair
and feathers. Biologically-active proteins catalyze biochemical
reactions in cells. These are the enzymes at the heart of
Novozymes' business.
What's inside an enzymes
Like all other proteins, enzymes are made of amino acids. Each
enzyme is made up of between a hundred and up to a million
amino acids placed like pearls on a string. Each amino acid is
bonded to the next by chemical bonds. Each enzyme has its
own unique sequence of amino acids, which is determined by
the genes in the cells. The vast majority of enzymes are made
of only 20 different kinds of amino acid. The structure and
function of the enzyme is determined by the order of the
amino acids.
Enzimlerin üç boyutlu yapıları nasıl sağlanır.
In most enzymes, the string of amino acids is coiled and folded
thousands of times to form a highly complex three-dimensional
structure, which is unique to each enzyme. It is the chemical
interactions between the amino acids that force the
enzymes into their three-dimensional structure, which is
held together by the many different links between the different
amino acids.
The
unique
three-dimensional
structure
of
each
enzyme determines the function of the enzyme. Even slight
changes in the sequence of the amino acids on the string have a
huge impact on the structure and function of the protein. With
just one, or perhaps a few, amino acids replaced or switched,
an enzyme may not only look different, but also act differently
and convert to working on other biological molecules or
treating them differently.
Although enzymes are large molecules with hundreds of amino
acids, only a small part of the enzyme participates in the
catalysis of biochemical reactions. This is called the
active
site.
enzyme
The
three-dimensional
structure
of
the
determines the appearance of the active site. The active site
precisely accommodates the shape of the biological substrate
(material on which it acts). The enzyme and substrate fit
together like a key in a lock, and only substrates with the right
shape will be transformed by the enzyme. This is what makes
enzymes specific in their action.
Making the perfect enzyme
Enzymes have been used in food production for thousands of
years - and now we make them ourselves.
Enzymes in history
Enzymes have been used in brewing, baking and alcohol
production since prehistoric times - only our ancestors did not
call them enzymes, but they certainly used them. One of the
earliest written references to enzymes is found in Homer's
Greek epic poems dating from about 800 BC, where mention
is made of the use of enzymes in the production of cheese. The
Japanese have also used naturally-occurring enzymes in the
production of fermented products like sake - a Japanese
schnapps brewed from rice - for more than a thousand years.
Bacteria and fungi produce most industrial enzymes
Naturally-occurring microorganisms are the most productive
producers of enzymes. This knowledge has been exploited by
industry for more than fifty years. Bacteria and fungi are the
microorganisms best suited to the industrial production of
enzymes. They are easy to handle, can be grown in huge tanks
without light, and have a very high growth rate.
Most of Novozymes' enzymes are produced by the bacterium
Bacillus subtilis and the fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Both have a
huge capacity for producing enzymes and are completely
harmless for humans.
Some microbes are more efficient enzyme producers
than others
The ideal microorganism grows quickly and produces lots of the
desired
enzyme
at
mild
temperatures
whilst
consuming
inexpensive nutrients. However, like most things in life, the
ideal microorganism is hard to come by. Most microorganisms
found in the wild are not well suited to domestication in large
fermentation tanks. Some only produce tiny quantities of
enzyme or take a long time to grow. Others can produce
undesired by-products that would disturb industrial processes.
Novozymes, on the other hand, has a large collection of
microorganisms that are perfect production organisms.
Combining organisms gives the perfect solution
Some microorganisms have the capability of producing the
perfect enzyme. Others could win the Olympic gold medal in
growth and enzyme production. By combining the best
from
each
organism,
we
are
able
to
obtain
a
microorganism that grows very quickly on inexpensive
nutrients, whilst at the same time producing large
quantities of the right enzyme. This is done by identifying
the gene that codes for the desired enzyme and transferring it
to a production organism known to be a good enzyme
producer.
Microbe genes can be modified to make better enzymes
Industrial enzymes need to be perfectly suited to the tasks that
they perform, but sometimes the perfect enzyme for a specific
job is impossible to find. This does not mean, however, that we
can't make an enzyme for the job. Normally our scientists can
find a naturally-occurring enzyme that is almost perfect, and
using modern biotechnology we can upgrade it to the desired
efficiency. This is done by altering small parts of the genes in
the microorganism which codes for the production of the
enzyme. These tiny alterations only alter the structure of the
enzyme very slightly, but this is normally enough to make a
good enzyme into a perfect enzyme.
Finding and producing enzymes
Learn how we select the right enzyme to do the right job by
using modern biotechnology.
Finding a multitude of enzymes
It may be that the perfect enzyme is not in the library. If this
is the case, soil samples, sometimes from very exotic locations
around the world, must be examined to find the right
microorganism with the capability of producing the enzyme
that can remove the stain on the shirt. The starting point
depends on the customer's requirement. If the enzyme needs to
function under very hot conditions, our researchers in hotspring areas are the natural first port-of-call. Collecting the
soil samples is the easy part, but one gram of soil contains
more than 4,000 different microorganisms, each of which can
produce hundreds or thousands of different enzymes! Using the
biggest
toolbox
of
screening
technologies
in
the
world,
Novozymes' scientists can easily find microorganisms which are
potential candidates for producing the right enzyme. This is
one of the things that makes Novozymes a unique company.
Selecting the right enzyme
In the laboratory, our scientists start searching the many
candidates collected in the wild for a microorganism which can
produce the desired enzyme. Novozymes has several methods
for finding the right bacterium or fungus. Normally the
scientists grow the selected microorganisms in a variety of
different conditions and media, narrowing down the number
of suitable enzymes. The search for the right enzyme is a highly
automated process. Huge robotic systems can simultaneously
test a culture of microorganisms on 12 different substrates
such as starch, proteins or fats. With the help of the robots,
Novozymes' researchers can scan thousands of microorganisms
in just a few days. The final test involves scanning the enzymes
under the precise working conditions in which that enzyme will
be used in the final product. The scientists can then be sure
that they have found the microorganism capable of producing
an enzyme to do the job.
Finding the gene that makes the enzyme
Having found the perfect enzyme for the job, our scientists are
now ready to find the gene that instructs the microorganism
to produce the enzyme. Like human beings, microorganisms are
able to produce hundreds of different enzymes for solving all
kinds of problem. But we are only interested in a single
enzyme; the others might produce unwanted side-effects.
Finding the genetic code for the right enzyme is what really
sets our experts apart from normal scientists. Novozymes has
the
world's
biggest
toolbox
of
biotech-based
screening
technologies, together with some of the best scientists in the
business, for finding and recreating the exact genetic code of
the desired enzyme. And once the genetic code has been
isolated, the researchers can improve the enzyme even further
in many different ways.
Transferring the gene to our production organisms
Orjinal olarak bir mikroorganizmadan elde edilen bir faydalı
enzimi kodlayan gen neden üretim için tasarlanmış başka bir
mikroorganizmaya transfer edilir?
Often the
original microorganisms are not the best for
producing the enzyme in large-scale production. They may not
produce much enzyme or might be hard to grow in large
numbers. Sometimes the original microorganism also produces
a large number of other substances which might be dangerous
to humans. In order to produce the enzyme in large quantities
and without having to worry about the by-products, we
combine
the
Novozymes'
best
own
of
the
safe
original
and
fast-
microorganism
growing
with
production
microorganisms. The gene from the original microorganism
that codes for the enzyme is inserted into the production
microorganism
using
modern
biotechnology.
Our
microorganisms are then able to produce exactly the same
enzyme, but in larger quantities and under much safer
conditions than the original microorganism.
Developing the production method
En etkili enzim üretimini sağlamak için hangi işlemlerin
yapılması gerekir?
Before we start large-scale production of the enzyme, the
exact living conditions for the production organism must be
determined. Even though we know our microorganisms very
well,
numerous
tests
still
have
to
be
carried
out.
The
microorganisms feed on nutrients derived from e.g. maize
(corn), soy beans, potatoes or sugars. But the right
nutrients for the microorganisms depend on the enzyme which
is to be produced. The same applies to the temperature, oxygen
level and pH to which the microorganisms are exposed. In
order to get the most efficient production, our scientists must
create the right environment for the microorganisms to work
to their optimum capacity.
Making microorganisms produce enzymes
Fermantasyon ne demektir? Ne işe yarar?
Microorganisms, not larger than 1.5 micrometres, are the
heart of Novozymes' business. A single bacterium or fungus is
able to produce only a microscopic portion of the enzyme
needed. A billion microorganisms, however, can produce the
amount of enzyme that makes the business feasible.
. By means of simple cell division, more and more
organisms appear, all producing the enzymes which we desire.
In
the
laboratory,
a
very
small
amount
of
selected
microorganisms that can produce the desired enzyme is grown
in a small-scale fermentation tank to get the fermentation
started. Once everything is up and running, it is time to let the
microorganisms grow to the best of their ability in our threestorey fermentation tanks. Everything in the tank is controlled,
with
nutrient
quantity,
temperature,
pH
and
airflow
comprising the main parameters in the process. With more
than 50 years' experience, Novozymes has developed the
fermentation process to perfection.
Recovering enzymes from the fermentation broth
Fermantasyon ortamından enzimlerin geri kazanılması nasıl
gerçekleştirilir?
1. When fermentation is complete, the fermentation tank is
full of one huge mix of
3microorganisms
and
1unused
4valuable
nutrients,
2water,
enzyme. The enzymes are
separated from the rest of the liquid in a large drumfilter. The filter is coated with a thick layer of wax that
allows the water and enzymes to penetrate, whilst the
nutrients and microorganisms are caught in the sticky
surface of the wax. As the drum-filter rotates, the
fermentation liquid is sprayed on. The water and enzymes
are sucked into the middle of the drum, leaving the
nutrients and microorganisms on the surface of the wax.
A
large
knife
then
slices
the
wax,
nutrients
and
microorganisms away. Following a series of other filtration
processes, the enzymes are finally separated from the
water using a simple evaporation process.
Using surplus material as fertilizer
Baktri üretim tesisilerindeki artık maddeler nasıl gübre olarak
kullanılırlar.
Many
industries
have
problems
with
waste
products.
Novozymes doesn't! Dealing with nature's own technology, our
waste is actually beneficial to the surrounding environment: it
is used as fertilizer on local farms.
Firstly, we make sure that no living or intact microorganisms
leave the production plant by treating the mix of wax,
nutrients and microorganisms with heat and chalk. The
microorganisms in the treated fermentation waste are then
ready for their final contribution to a sustainable industrial
solution. The waste is used as a top-grade fertilizer on the
fields of the farms surrounding the production plants, thus
promoting the growth of yet another natural product, crops.
Delivering the final product
Once the enzymes have been formulated as either liquid or
granulate, they are packed in cans or bags and are then ready
to leave the factory. With factories on four continents,
Novozymes is always nearby. But even when the enzyme
products have left our factory Novozymes continues to work
for its customers, who are often developing a brand new
product which might require expert assistance. Novozymes is
the number one expert on enzymes and how to handle,
formulate, produce and use them. Service is therefore our
second-largest product and the Tech Service department even
works free of charge.
How enzymes work for you
Enzymes are used in a variety of the everyday products you
use.
And it's good for the environment as
enzymes
can
replace
chemicals
and
minimize energy consumption.
Why we need enzymes?
Even though you may not be aware of it, enzymes play a very
active role in your everyday life. Saturday afternoon, washing
your clothes, you may not realize that enzymes are doing some
of the dirty work for you. The detergent that you are using is
most likely to contain enzymes that remove the dirt and
greasy stains from your clothes. Relaxing in the sun, waiting
for your clothes to be cleaned, you may need something to
drink. The sweet taste of the soft drink comes from syrup,
which is made using enzymes. You may get hungry: A loaf of
bread would come in handy. Almost all the bread you buy in
the supermarket is made with a little help from enzymes.
Enzymes have been used for more than 50 years in the
detergent, textile, food and feed industries, to name just a few.
In these industries enzymes replace chemicals and minimize
water, raw material and energy consumption. Nature's own
technology provides us with environmentally friendly solutions
and better products.
Enzymes are the natural solution to industrial problems
The environment is precious to us all. But in many areas
nature suffers from the heavy impact of the western way of
life. All companies have a responsibility to pursue sustainable
solutions to their industrial processes, and in many cases
enzymes can help them do it.
Chemicals used in industrial processes are one of the most
severe threats to nature and man today. By using enzymes
instead of chemicals, the problem is solved. Enzymes present no
threat to the environment whatsoever. With enzymes we can
maintain the living standards we have today and at the same
time preserve the environment for our children.
And enzymes do not just replace chemicals. They also reduce
the consumption of raw materials, energy and water, giving
real benefits to both the environment and industry. As the
world's leading producer of industrial enzymes, Novozymes
cannot save the planet, but we can provide some of the tools
to do it.
Enzymes wash your clothes at only 30oC
Chemicals clean your clothes at 90°C, but what a waste!
Enzymes can do the same job at only 30°C. Reducing the
temperature from 90° to 30°C means great savings on energy
and money. Enzymes also replace chemicals in the detergent,
which means a reduction in the amount of chemical waste
from both industrial and household laundry. A third benefit of
putting enzymes in detergents is that they can even make your
clothes look better and last longer. So what's the catch? There
isn't one. If you want to take care of nature and still wear
clean clothes, let enzymes do the dirty work for you.
Enzymes stonewash your jeans
Stonewashed jeans are the height of fashion and, as the name
suggests, the traditional way of producing stonewashed jeans is
to wash the jeans with stones. This is a harsh treatment both
for the jeans and for the environment. The fabric of the jeans
is weakened and may appear flossy, whilst the lifespan of the
jeans is far shorter than that of regular blue jeans.
By adding enzymes to the process there is no longer any need
for stones in the wash. The look of the jeans is the same, but
the. The process even saves on water, one of nature's most
precious process no longer damages the fabric and the jeans
therefore last much longer resources. When using enzymes to
get the stonewash look, there is no need for several rinsing
processes to get rid of the stones.
Enzymes make good bread better
The minute bread leaves the oven, the breakdown of the bread
begins. It is the bread's starch content that is most "hard to
please"; starch feeds on moisture, which is why bread becomes
hard and unfit for consumption within a few days. By adding
Novozymes' enzymes to the flour, it is possible to alter the
structure of the starch in the bread so that it retains moisture
better. This means that the bread remains soft for a longer
period of time. Other enzymes make dough-handling much
easier for the baker. Enzymes make the dough less sticky,
which is a major benefit if you are making hundreds of loaves
every morning. If you have ever wondered why bread from the
bakers is larger and more airy, enzymes are once again the
answer. Specialized enzymes can make the gluten of bread
retain
naturally-occurring
gases
that
would
otherwise
disappear.
Enzymes make your leather soft
Natural, untreated leather is as stiff as metal. It therefore
needs to be softened before use - and enzymes can do the job.
To make leather pliable, the raw material requires an enzyme
treatment called bating, which takes place before tanning. This
involves dissolving and washing the protein components that
stiffen the leather. The degree of bating depends on the desired
properties of the finished leather. Glove leather, for example,
should be very soft and pliable and is subjected to strong
bating, whereas leather for the soles of shoes is only lightly
bated. In the old days, dog excrement was used in the bating
process, the bacteria in the excrement producing enzymes to
make the leather soft. The use of enzymes in industry today is
rather more hygienic.
Hygiene is not the only advantage of using enzymes to treat
leather products. Before leather becomes soft it undergoes
several different treatments. Each treatment normally requires
the use of large quantities of harsh chemicals. When removing
hairs and fat from hides, enzymes can reduce the use of
sulphide by 40%. Enzymes are also responsible for major
reductions in the amounts of water used, as the replacement of
chemicals
reduces
the
rinsing
and
cleaning
processes.
Ultimately, a higher quality leather is achieved and the load on
the environment is reduced.
Enzymes make cotton look like silk
Cotton treated with enzymes not only looks better, it also lasts
longer. Most cotton fabrics tend to be fluffy from the minute
they leave the shop. Treating the fabrics with Novozymes'
unique Biopolishing enzymes removes the small hairs or fuzz
that protrude from the surface of the yarn, leaving a smoother
yarn surface that almost looks like silk. Biopolishing makes your
clothes look brand new, even if you've washed them several
times. Enzymes also play a major role in the textile industry in
the desizing process. After weaving, the starch size has to be
removed to prepare the fabric for the finishing steps of
bleaching or dyeing. Starch-splitting enzymes are used to
desize woven fabrics because of their highly efficient and
specific way of desizing without harming the yarn.
Enzymes make the most of fruit juice
Crystal-clear juice and lots of it. This is the result of enzymes
in the juice industry. The enzymes break down apple fibres,
making the fruit more soluble and easier to press. Not only
does this process give a much higher yield, but also a higher
quality apple juice, because enzymes are able to make fruit
juices completely clear. If you cut an apple in two, you will
notice that the fruity part of the apple starts to turn brown.
Enzymes are responsible for this process. If more enzymes are
added, they speed up the process even further. By exploiting
enzymes in the breakdown process, the pressing process
becomes much easier. The juice becomes crystal-clear and
contains all the nutrients from the apple due to the enzymatic
breakdown of the fibres. In the wine industry, the same
principles are used to get all the juice out of the grapes without
compromising the quality of the final product.
Enzymes turn corn starch into sugar syrup
Sugar is the expensive element of most sweet products like
candy or cola. But there is an easy way to cheaper sweets.
Enzymes enable corn, cassava or wheat/potato starch to be
transformed
into
sugar
syrup.
The
enzymes
work
by
rearranging and cutting up the starch molecules, turning them
into liquid sugar. When the process is complete, the syrups and
modified starches, which have different compositions and
physical properties, can be used in a wide variety of foodstuffs,
including soft drinks, confectionery, meats, baked products, ice
cream, sauces, baby food, tinned fruit, preserves, and much
more.
Novozymes makes many specialized enzymes for the starch and
sugar industries. Some of them also protect the environment.
For example, one supplants the use of strong acids in the
manufacture of sugar syrups. Others help manufacturers to
produce products of higher quality, save energy and help
ensure a safer working environment.