Biochemistry confusion about enzymes

[soonny]

This is just all out of curiosity. I often get mixed up with the various classes of enzymes because they all look quite similiar in functionality to me. For example the kinases, phosphorylases and phophatase, can anyone tell me whats the difference? how about synthase and synthetase? And if dehydrogenase removes hydrogen, why can't I call them oxidase as well?

[j2buttonsw]

I had to look in Stryer which I haven't read since I argued with dath vader that sucrose was glucose and fructose not two glucoses, but that is another story. Kinases and phosphorylases are very similar as they both add phosphate to organic compounds but I think kinases use the phosphate from a reactive phosphorylated compound such as ATP wherease phosphorylases use inorganic phosphate (but I could be wrong). Phosphatases, on the other hand, remove phosphate. Synthases and synthetases I think are essentially the same, it just depends on which the person who discovered them preferred. The dehydrogenases and oxidases are both redox enzymes which result in the oxidation of the substrate, but the dehydrogenase specifically removes hydrogen (usually donating them to NAD+ or NADP+).

[soonny]

Right... are there any books or websites you could give me as reference? :)

[j2buttonsw]

Er, Lubert Stryer, Biochemistry (ISBN 0-7167-1843X). It is a standard 1st year Biochemistry graduate book (well was 10 years ago).