1:4:1 Enzymes and the Lock and Key Model Flashcards
Define enzymes.
An enzyme is a protein that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction without being used up.
How do enzymes function?
They have a part called the active site which has a complementary shape for the raw material to fit into.
In the active site the raw material is broken down/joined together in some reaction to make a product.
The raw material is called the substrate.
When do the enzymes work best (temperature and pH)
They work best at 37 degrees
Usually work best at pH 7 unless it’s stomach protease, which works best at pH 3
If these conditions aren’t correct then the active site is denatured (destroyed), the active site shape is altered therefore the substrate won’t fit.
List the three enzymes and what they digest.
Protease - Proteins
Carbohydrase - Carbs
Lipase - Fats
What is the Lock and Key Model?
The model explains enzyme specificity. Each enzyme only works with one other substrate when they collide. Examples of this could be protease only reacting with proteins as the proteins will only fit into the protease enzyme.
