EXTRACTION OF ENZYMES 



53 



Approximate Food-coxteni of ^'ARIous Plant-products 

 (In percentages of the fresh weight) 



In \de\v of the great importance of enzymes in the acti\'ities 

 of the plant, the present chapter may be concluded \\'ith a brief 

 consideration of their mode of action. It should be realised 

 that such substances are probably of universal occurrence in 

 li-vdng ceUs. A very large number of enzymes are now known, 

 and others are continualh' being discovered, but only a few 

 can be mentioned here. The following table gives an epitome 

 of some of the principal enzymes found in plants : 



Enzyme. 

 Diastase. 

 JIaltase. 

 Invertase. 

 Inulase. 

 Cytase. 



Emulsin, ^Nlyrosin, etc. 

 Lipases. 



Proteases (proteolytic en- 

 zymes) . 

 Zymase (in Yeast, p. 256). 



Substance acted upon. 



Starch. 



Maltose. 



Cane-sugar. 



Inulin. 



Reserve-cellulose. 



Glucosides. 



Oils. 



Proteins. 

 Monosaccharides. 



Products. 

 Dextrin and rvlaltose. 

 Glucose. 



Glucose and Fructose. 

 Fructose. 



Mannose and Galactose. 

 Glucose, etc. 

 Glycerine and Fatty Acids. 



Peptones and Amino-acids. 

 Alcohol and Carbon Dioxide. 



The method of extraction of diastase described on p. 169 of 

 our hitroduction to the Study of Plants is appUcable to many 



1 In most cases the percentages given are calculated for the entire 

 nitrogenous organic matter. 



2 Total carbohydrates. 



