2.4-enzymes :) Flashcards
what do catalysts do?
speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy and remain unchanged at the end of the reaction.
what is the turnover number?
the no of reactions an enzyme molecule can catalyse per second
how are enzymes different to chemical catalysts?
1) whereas chemical catalysts usually need very high temperatures, pressures and ph, enzymes speed up metabolic reactions at often lower temperatures, neutral pH, and normal pressures
2) more specific than chemical catalyst; don’t produce unwanted by products and rarely make mistakes. cells can also regulate their activity to fit needs at the time.
how does a metabolic disorder happen?
if an enzyme that catalyses a metabolic reaction is deficient.
what is a metabolite?
the reactants, intermediates, and products of a metabolic pathway
what happens in a catabolic pathway?
metabolites are broken down to smaller molecules and release energy
what happens in an anabolic pathway?
energy is used to synthesise larger molecules from smaller ones.
what is a metabolic pathway?
a series of consecutive reactions, every step catalysed by a specific enzyme that forms a specific product.
why is catalase important?
protects cells from damage by reactive oxygen, by quickly breaking down h2o2 (hydrogen peroxide), a potentially harmful by-product of many metabolic reactions, to oxygen and water.
what is the structure of catalase?
4 polypeptide chains and contains a haem group with iron.
where is catalase found in eukaryotic cells?
inside small vesicles called peroxiomes
what is a use of catalase in white blood cells?
when they ingest pathogens they use catalase to help kill the invading microbe.
where is amylase produced and where does it act?
produced in: salivary glands and pancreas
acts in: mouth and small intestine
what does amylase do?
digests the polysaccharide starch to the dissaccharide maltose.
where is trypsin produced and where does it act?
made in pancreas and acts in lumen of small intestine.
what does trypsin do?
digests proteins into smaller peptides by hydrolysing peptide bonds.
what is a cofactor?
a substance that has to be present to ensure that an enzyme catalysed reaction takes place at an appropriate rate.
what is a prosthetic group?
a cofactor that is bound by covalent bonds to an enzyme molecule.
what prosthetic group does carbonic anhydrase contain?
a zinc ion
where is carbonic anhydrase found?
enthrocytes (red blood cells)
what does carbonic anhydrase do?
catalyses interconversion of CO2 and H2O to carbonic acid, which then breaks down to protons and hydrogencarbonate ions.
what is the equation for what carbonic anhydrase does?
CO2 + H20 H2CO3H+ +HCO3-
why is carbonic anhydrase important?
enables CO2 to be carried in the blood from respiring tissues to the lungs.
what is the cofactor of amylase?
chloride ions