Diastase
class of enzymes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Diastases are a group of enzymes which break down starch into the sugar maltose.[1] Diastase was the first enzyme discovered.[2] It was got from malt solution in 1833 by Anselme Payen and Jean-François Persoz, chemists at a French sugar factory.[3]
The name "diastase" comes from the Greek word διάστασις (diastasis). It means a parting or separation. The enzymes simply split the starch molecule.[4] Today, diastase means any α-, β-, or γ-amylase that can break down carbohydrates.
The commonly used -ase suffix for naming enzymes was derived from the name diastase.[5] The breakdown of starches follows a general diastase-catalysed reaction:
A–B + H2O → A–OH + B–H
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