Prev. Article Next Article Table of Contents

Article

An Unexpected Event When Chymotrypsin Performs Its Physiological Role

Your current credentials do not allow retrieval of the full text.

Purchase the full-text

PDF/HTML,
figures/images,
references and tables,
(where available)

Ivan G. Darvey

Department of Biochemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

J. Chem. Educ., 2000, 77 (3), p 422

DOI: 10.1021/ed077p422

Publication Date (Web): March 1, 2000

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

One of the events that occur during the chymotrypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of proteins is an example of an exception to a rule of thumb taught in introductory organic chemistry courses, namely, that amides can't readily be converted to esters. If biochemistry teachers and the authors of textbooks of biochemistry commented on this unusual reaction, it would emphasize further the remarkable part chymotrypsin plays as a catalyst in carrying out its main perceived "physiological role".