In the context of the widespread application of modern biotechnology, enzyme preparations, as a highly efficient and specific type of biocatalyst, have been deeply applied in various fields such as in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceutical research and development, food industry, and environmental governance. Among them, oxidoreductases are particularly important in biochemical testing and industrial production due to their involvement in various metabolic reactions. In this type of enzyme, dehydrogenases and oxidases are often mistaken for the same type due to their similar names and involvement in substrate oxidation processes, and may even be confused in practical use. However, there are significant differences between the two in terms of reaction mechanisms and application scenarios.

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1、 Same classification but different electron acceptors

Dehydrogenase and oxidase belong to the oxidoreductase category (EC1) in the International Committee on Enzymology (EC) classification, and their commonality lies in their ability to catalyze the loss of electrons or hydrogen atoms from substrates, achieving oxidation reactions. The difference lies in the different electron acceptors relied upon during the reaction process.

The reaction of dehydrogenases usually does not directly utilize molecular oxygen. It transfers the hydrogen removed from the substrate to specific cofactors, such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD ⁺), phosphorylated analogues (NADP ⁺), or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). These cofactors are reduced to NADH, NADPH, or FADH ₂ after receiving hydrogen, and further participate in intracellular energy transfer or synthetic metabolism processes. In contrast, the electron acceptor of oxidase is molecular oxygen (O ₂). These enzymes catalyze substrate oxidation while directly transferring electrons to oxygen, producing water or hydrogen peroxide as products.

2、 Differences in Reaction Mechanisms and Biological Functions

Dehydrogenases mainly participate in intermediate metabolic processes within cells and can achieve a balance between oxidation and reduction under certain conditions. Dehydrogenases are often used to calculate the amount of ATP generated. Typical reaction types catalyzed by dehydrogenases: alcohol hydroxyl groups are oxidized to form aldehydes or ketones, such as malate dehydrogenase in the tricarboxylic acid cycle; Oxidation of aldehyde groups to carboxyl groups, such as phosphoglyceraldehyde dehydrogenase in glycolysis; Oxidases are more commonly found in aerobic metabolism or defense systems. Due to its dependence on oxygen and production of reactive oxygen byproducts, some oxidases also play a role in signal transduction or antibacterial processes. Commonly used enzymes for measuring blood glucose, such as glucose oxidase. The xanthine oxidase used in purine metabolism also belongs to this category and is a target for treating gout.

3、 Selection considerations in practical applications

In the development of in vitro diagnostic reagents, the correct selection of enzyme types directly affects the accuracy of detection results. Taking glucose detection as an example, when using glucose oxidase method, if there are other easily oxidized sugars (such as galactose and maltose) in the sample, it may cause cross reactions; Although the use of NAD (P) - dependent glucose dehydrogenase is not affected by oxygen concentration, it may also cause interference in the presence of specific cofactors. Therefore, selecting enzyme species reasonably based on the detection environment, sample type, and instrument conditions is the key to ensuring detection specificity and stability.

For enterprises that require high-quality enzyme preparations, stable raw material supply and technical support are crucial. Hubei Xindesheng focuses on the research and production of enzymes for in vitro diagnostics, providing a variety of enzyme products including glucose oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, etc., with good batch consistency and catalytic activity. Welcome to contact for detailed information and technical support to help your project progress smoothly.