Controlling enzyme Function Flashcards
3 ways to control enzyme functions
Competitive inhibitors, allosteric regulators, feedback inhibition
Controlling enzyme functions
Allows a control over the formation of various unwanted products
Competitive inhibitors
- Molecules that mimic (copy) substrate molecules and end up blocking the normal substrate so there is “competition” for the active site.
*This can slow down or sometimes stop enzyme functions
Is this a natural occurence?
It can be an natural occurence (where your body purposely slows down enzyme) BUT it can also happen because of toxins that enter the cells
Allosteric regulators
Molecules that bind to all the allosteric site of an enzyme
What are the two types if allosteric regulators?
Noncompetitive inhibitors and allosteric activators
Noncompetitive inhibitors
Inhibits the enzymes from functioning by having a non-substrate molecule attach to an allosteric site (not the active site) so that the enzyme no longer functions
Example of a noncompetitive inhibitor
pesticide DDT
Allosteric activators
- Molecules that bind to allosteric sites of enzymes and they can alter the protein conformation
- Inactive enzymes become “activated” and the new active site becomes more stabilized.
Feedback inhibition
- The process by which an enzyme is inhibited by a product that has formed after a series of other enzymatic reactions
- Self regulating
- Final product can act like an allosteric inhibitor
Note about feedback inhibiton
This is a good way of regulating the production of molecules so that you don’t unnecessarily make too much of a product within a cell
Example of feedback inhibition
ATP allosterically inhibits more making of itself