38 by: Taiyler Edmondson

Student – Taiyler Edmondson

Enzyme Name – Lactase, or β-Galactosidase

EC# – 3.2. 1.108

Lactase is found inside the gastrointestinal tract of humans, inside the small intestine on the bush border of the microvilli. Lactase is a crucial enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of lactose, the disaccharide prevalent in milk and dairy products, into its constituent monosaccharides, glucose and galactose. This enzymatic process is essential for the efficient absorption of these sugars into the bloodstream. Individuals with lactase deficiency experience lactose intolerance, resulting in gastrointestinal discomfort when they ingest lactose due to the inability to adequately digest lactose resulting in a build up of lactose in the small intestine. Lactase production can be influenced by diet, the regular consumption of dairy products can stimulate lactase production.

References

MedlinePlus. (n.d.). LCT gene. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/lct/.

National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Lactase. PubChem. https:/pub Chem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Lactase.

ScienceDirect. (n.d.). Lactase. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/lactase.

Northern Arizona University. (n.d.). Enzymes. https://www2.nau.edu/lrm22/lessons/enzymes/enzymes.html

Moran, G. R. (2006). Lactase. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 34(2), 128–132. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21185