2.8 Enzyme Inhibition

Question 1

What are enzyme inhibitors?

Answer 1

Substances that directly or indirectly interfere with the functioning of the active site of an enzyme and so reduce its activity.

Question 2

What are reversible inhibitors?

Answer 2

Inhibitors that only make temporary attachments to the active site.

Question 3

What are the two types of reversible inhibitors?

Answer 3

Competitive inhibitors

Non-competitive inhibitors

Question 4

What does a competitive inhibitor do?

Answer 4

Binds to the active site of an enzyme

Question 5

What does a non-competitive inhibitor do?

Answer 5

Binds to the enzyme at a position other than the active site.

Question 6

How does a competitive inhibitor work?

Answer 6

It competes for the active site of an enzyme with the substrate.

Question 7

What factor controls the effectiveness of a competitive inhibitor?

Answer 7

Difference in concentration of the inhibitor and substrate.

Question 8

How does a non-competitive inhibitor work?

Answer 8

It attaches itself to the enzyme somewhere other than the active site, changing the shape of the active site in such a way that substrate molecules can no longer occupy it.