Just as proteins form when amino acids bond together in long chains, they can be broken down by a reaction called hydrolysis, the reverse of the formation of the peptide bond. That is exactly what happens in the process of digestion, when special digestive enzymes in the stomach enable the breaking down of the peptide linkage.
(Enzymes are a type of protein—see Enzymes.)
The amino acids, separated once again, are released into the small intestine, from whence they pass into the bloodstream and are carried
throughout the organism. Each individual cell of the organism then can use these amino acids to assemble the new and different proteins required for its specific functions. Life thus is an ongoing cycle in which proteins are broken into individual amino-acid units, and new proteins are built up from these amino acids.
(Enzymes are a type of protein—see Enzymes.)
The amino acids, separated once again, are released into the small intestine, from whence they pass into the bloodstream and are carried
throughout the organism. Each individual cell of the organism then can use these amino acids to assemble the new and different proteins required for its specific functions. Life thus is an ongoing cycle in which proteins are broken into individual amino-acid units, and new proteins are built up from these amino acids.
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