7.2 Enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are biological catalysts who turn reactants into products.
What are the four main properties of enzymes?
- reaction specific
- not consumed in reaction
- made of proteins
- affected by cellular conditions
What is the main naming convention of enzymes?
Enzyme names usually end with -ase, the prefix being the substrate the enzyme breaks down or synthesizes.
What is the Induced Fit Model?
The enzyme breaks down or changes shape in order to fit better in the active site, which causes the correct chemical reaction to occur.
Why does enzyme concentration vs reaction rate level off after a while?
The enzyme concentration levels off due to the lack of substrates to bond with.
Why does substrate concentration vs reaction rate level off after a while?
The substrate concentration levels off due to the lack of enzymes to bond with.
Why does the temperature vs reaction rate cause a bell curve?
There is an optimal temperature for an enzyme. But the lower the temperature gets, the less collisions will occur. On the other hand, if the temperature gets too high denaturation could occur.
Why does the pH vs reaction rate cause a bell curve?
Similar to the temperature, pH also denatures proteins, this means that proteins also have an optimal pH level.
How can enzymes be turned “ON”?
Enzymes can be turned on by activators that maintain or change the active site so that the substrate can bind properly.
How can enzymes be turned “OFF”?
Enzymes can be turned off by inhibitors, which are competitive or allosteric.
