The human pancreatic amylase molecule consists of 496 amino acid residues - 4204 atoms, ignoring hydrogen atoms but this also includes oxygens from 233 water molecules! (odd single red dots in original view) Click below for different display options Secondary structureCartoon format - a helices red, ß sheets goldNote especially the central barrel-shaped section through which the substrate presumably passes as it is fed into the active site Active siteThe following amino acid residues have been identified (reference below) as contributing to the conversion of glucose polysaccharides (amylose, starch) into disacccharides (maltose). Interestingly, they all have acidic side-chains (aspartic acid and glutamic acid).ASP 197 at active site shown as white spacefill GLU 233 at active site shown as white spacefill ASP300 at active site shown as white spacefill glucose dimer (maltose - the product of starch hydrolysis) red and grey |