Role Of Rennin

Rennin – A Proteolytic Enzyme

Major Discussion:

 Role of rennin in helping young mammals digest milk

 Role of rennin as an industrial catalyst to make cheese

Proteolytic Enzyme:

Any group enzymes that catalyze the hydrolytic degradation of proteins or polypeptides to smaller amino acids polymer is called proteolytic enzyme.

Rennin is a proteolytic enzyme made by chief cells in the stomach. Rennin also known as “Chymosin”. Rennin enzyme plays an important role in helping young mammal digest milk. Rennin is also used as industrial catalyst to make cheese.

 Role of rennin in helping young mammals digest milk

In human babies, rennin is associated with the coagulation of milk. This property help in the digestion of milk in infants. Rennin,

This key function is carried out by chymosin/rennin. Interestingly, the conversion of milk into yogurt is possible only at 37 degree Celsius, which is the normal human body temperature.

Thus, chymosin plays a vital role in the nutrition of young mammals.

Rennin and renin: Rennin is sometimes also mistaken with renin, an enzyme secreted by kidneys that takes part in the regulation of arterial blood pressure. Thus, rennin and renin are different, and the two terms should not be used interchangeably.

 Role of rennin as an industrial catalyst to make cheese

Introduction:

Chymosin is a very important industrial enzyme because it is broadly used in cheese production. Thousands of years ago, farmers and shepherds made a mistake. For the sake of transporting their drinking milk, people stored it in sacks made from the sheep’s stomach. After being stored for some time, it was found that the product was no longer milk, but instead it separated into solids and liquid, or curds and whey. Because of this mistake the use of animal rennet in cheese production entered the collective stream of consciousness, and made to become the practice still routinely used