The key difference between peptones and proteoses is that peptones are proteins that form during the breakdown of proteins through digestion, whereas proteoses are enzymes that are involved in the breakdown of proteins and peptides.
Peptones and proteoses are protein-related derivatives we can observe in biological systems. Both these substances are involved in protein breakdown processes that take place in the gastric solution.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Peptones
3. What are Proteoses
4. Peptones vs Proteoses in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Peptones vs Proteoses
What are Peptones?
A peptone is a soluble protein substance that is formed in the early stage of protein breakdown during digestion. We can describe peptones as protein hydrolysates that form through the enzymatic or acidic digestion of various raw materials, including many complex media consisting of peptones as the source of nitrogen.
Figure 1: An Agar Plate Consisting of Tryptone (a Type of Peptone) that Supports the Growth of Microorganisms
Tryptone is a specific type of peptone. We can describe tryptone as an assortment of peptides produced from the digestion of casein through the protease trypsin. Commonly, it is used in microbiology to produce lysogeny broth or LB, which is important in growing E.coli. Moreover, it can provide a source of amino acids to the bacteria that are growing in the medium.
What are Proteoses
A proteose is an enzyme that can break down proteins and peptides. A proteose can be any of the various water-soluble compounds that can form during the in-vitro or in-vivo hydrolytic breakdown of proteins just before the formation of amino acids. Therefore, we can say that this enzyme forms after the breakdown of the polypeptides by enzymes such as proteases, which mainly include gastric pepsin. At the same step, peptones form alongside the proteoses.
Figure 02: Protein Digestion Enzymes
Proteoses are mainly involved in mucus cleavage, matrix remodeling, PAR activation, apoptosis, tight junction degradation, inflammatory mediator processing, and Ig cleavage.
What is the Difference Between Peptones and Proteoses?
Peptone and proteose are protein-derived substances. Both these substances are involved in protein breakdown processes that take place in the gastric solution. The key difference between peptones and proteoses is that peptones are proteins that form during the breakdown of proteins through digestion, whereas proteoses are enzymes that are involved in the breakdown of proteins and peptides. Peptone is a soluble protein while proteose is an enzyme. Moreover, peptone forms in the early stage of the protein breakdown during digestion, while proteose forms during the in-vitro or in-vivo hydrolytic breakdown of proteins, just before the formation of amino acids.
We can distinguish peptones from proteoses through the reaction between ammonium sulfate. Generally, proteoses can precipitate from a solution consisting of both peptones and proteoses after adding ammonium sulfate whereas peptones cannot precipitate in a similar manner. Peptones cannot react even with fully saturated ammonium sulfate.
The below infographic presents the differences between peptones and proteoses in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Peptones vs Proteoses
Peptones and proteoses are protein-related derivatives that we can observe in biological systems. Both these substances are involved in protein breakdown processes that take place in the gastric solution. The key difference between peptones and proteoses is that peptones are proteins that form during the breakdown of proteins through digestion, whereas proteoses are enzymes that are involved in the breakdown of proteins and peptides.
Reference:
1. “Peptone.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. Ruggeri, Christine. “The Enzyme That Makes Protein & Amino Acids Tick.” Dr. Axe, 9 Sept. 2020.
3. “Protease.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Nov. 2021.
4. A.J, Barrett. “Proteases.” Current Protocols in Protein Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Rhizobium tropici strain BR816 on TY agar” By Ninjatacoshell – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “2517 Protein-Digesting EnzymesN” By OpenStax College – Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site, Jun 19, 2013. (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia