Angiotensin is an inert polypeptide in the human body. A protease called ACE cle
ID: 280121 • Letter: A
Question
Angiotensin is an inert polypeptide in the human body. A protease called ACE cleaves this polypeptide into a functional hormone-peptide which the body responds to by constricting blood vessels causing high blood pressure. Inhibition of the ACE enzyme is one strategy for treating hypertension. Researchers have found that they could inhibit ACE using proteolyzed/hydrolyzed proteins from lentils. Question 1: Based on this description of the ACE substrate and source of inhibitors, what type of inhibitor would you expect to find?Explanation / Answer
1. ACE is an enzyme, which is blocked in the body when the inhibitor is provided. ACE inhibitors blocks the enzyme so that the enzyme does not remain available for the substrate to bind with. This results in rise in the free substrate level but Vmax does not changes. Thus ACE inhibitors are competitive inhibitors.