Chapter 8 Vocab Flashcards
Activation Energy
The initial investment of energy for starting a reaction
Active site
A groove on an enzyme and the region the substrate binds to
Allosteric Regulation
A protein’s function at one site is affected by the binding of a regulatory molecule to another site
Anabolic Pathway
Pathway that consumes energy to build complex molecules from simpler ones
Catabolic pathway
Pathway that releases energy by breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones
Catalyst
A chemical agent that speeds up a reaction without being consumed by the reaction
Chemical energy
Potential energy available for release in a chemical reaction
Coenzyme
Organic cofactor (vitamins)
Cofactor
Nonprotein helpers bound permanently to the enzyme or loosely and reversibly
Competitive inhibitor
Reduce productivity of enzymes by blocking substrates from entering active sites
Cooperatively
Amplifies the response of enzymes to substrates
Endergonic reaction
A reaction that absorbs free energy from its surroundings
Enzyme
A catalytic protein
Entropy
Measure of disorder
Enzyme-substrate complex
A complex formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate
Exergonic reaction
A reaction that proceeds with a net release of free energy
Feedback inhibition
A metabolic pathway is switched off by the inhibitory bindings of its end product to an enzyme that acts early in the pathway
First law of thermodynamics
The energy of the universe is constant, energy can be transferred but not created or destroyed
Free energy
Measures the portion of a system’s energy that can perform work when temperature and pressure are uniform throughout the system
Substrate
The reactant an enzyme acts on
