What is the Difference Between Proteolytic Enzymes and Digestive Enzymes

The main difference between proteolytic enzymes and digestive enzymes is that proteolytic enzymes break down proteins into small amino acids whereas digestive enzymes are complex protein molecules that digest food particles into nutrients.

Proteolytic enzymes and digestive enzymes are two types of enzymes important in the breakdown of food into nutrients. Digestive enzymes are responsible for the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and lipids.

Key Areas Covered

1. What are Proteolytic Enzymes
   • Definition, Features, Importance
2. What are Digestive Enzymes
   • Definition, Features, Importance
3. Similarities Between Proteolytic Enzymes and Digestive Enzymes
   • Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Proteolytic Enzymes and Digestive Enzymes
   • Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Digestive Enzymes, Protein, Proteolytic Enzymes

What ae Proteolytic Enzymes

Proteolytic enzymes are the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of proteins in food. Other names for proteolytic enzymes include peptidases, proteases, and proteinases. Besides, the main three types of proteolytic enzymes are pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin. Also, the proteolytic enzymes occur in supplements. They are available in the form of capsules, gel caps, chewable, powders, and tablets.

Figure 1: Protease Function

If you consider their functions; primarily, their function is to digest proteins in food into amino acids. Furthermore, in proteolysis, proteins digest into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids. Therefore, the main function of proteolytic enzymes is to hydrolyze peptide bonds between amino acids. Here, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Pepsin is an endopeptidase that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides.  Trypsin is an enzyme in the first section of the small intestine that starts the digestion of protein molecules by cutting these long chains of amino acids into smaller pieces. Chymotrypsin, on the other hand, is a digestive enzyme component of pancreatic juice acting in the duodenum, where it performs proteolysis, the breakdown of proteins and polypeptides.

What are Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzymes are the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of food particles into nutrients before absorption into the body. Typically, proteolytic enzymes digest proteins: lipases digest lipids, and amylases digest carbohydrates. Therefore, the main function of digestive enzymes is to break down polymeric macromolecules into their building blocks. Nucleases also digest nucleic acids into nucleotides.

Figure 2: Digestive Enzymes

Moreover, digestive enzymes occur in the digestive tracts of animals including humans. They also occur in the tracts of carnivorous plants, where they aid in the digestion of food. Furthermore, digestive enzymes occur inside cells, especially in lysosomes in microorganisms. In the digestive tract, digestive enzymes occur in the saliva secreted by the salivary glands, in the secretions of cells lining the stomach, in the pancreatic juice secreted by pancreatic exocrine cells, as well as in the secretions of cells lining the small and large intestines.

Similarities Between Proteolytic Enzymes and Digestive Enzymes

• Proteolytic enzymes and digestive enzymes are two types of enzymes important in the digestion of food particles into nutrients before absorbing them into the body.
• Moreover, they break down polymeric macromolecules into their building blocks.

Difference Between Proteolytic Enzymes and Digestive Enzymes

Definition

Proteolytic enzymes refer to a group of enzymes that break the long chainlike molecules of proteins into amino acids while digestive enzymes refer to a group of enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules into their smaller building blocks in order to facilitate their absorption by the body.

Function

Taking the functions, proteolytic enzymes break down protein into amino acids while digestive enzymes break down proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids into their building blocks.

Examples

Pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin are the three proteolytic enzymes while amylases, proteases, nucleases, and lipases are the four main types of digestive enzymes.

Conclusion

In brief, proteolytic enzymes and digestive enzymes are two types of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of polymeric macromolecules into their building blocks. Proteolytic enzymes break down proteins into amino acids, while lipases break down lipids, amylases break down carbohydrates, and nucleases break down nucleic acids into their building blocks. Therefore, the main difference between proteolytic enzymes and digestive enzymes is their function.  

References:

1. Kubala, J. (2018, February 17). Proteolytic enzymes: How they work, benefits and sources. Healthline. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
2. Digestive enzymes. Kaiser Permanente. (n.d.). Retrieved August 18, 2022.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Protease mechanism summary” By Thomas Shafee – Own Work (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Digestive Enzymes” By Acabatcha – Own Work (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia