D2 - Enzymes Flashcards
Nutrients
Essential substances required for growth and metabolism.
Includes vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.
Vitamins
Organic compounds that act as coenzymes.
Help with tissue growth, development, and immunity.
Examples: Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K
Minerals
Inorganic compounds needed for body functions.
Components of hormones, enzymes, and hemoglobin.
Important for bone and cartilage structure.
Examples: Magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium
Enzymes
Protein molecules that act as catalysts to speed up reactions.
Usually end in -ase.
Specific to a certain substrate.
Catalyst
Speeds up chemical reactions.
Lowers activation energy.
Not used up in the reaction.
Substrate
The reactant that an enzyme acts on.
Binds to the active site of the enzyme.
Active Site
Specific region of an enzyme where a substrate binds.
Has a unique shape that fits only certain substrates.
Optimal Temperature and pH
Optimal temperature for human enzymes: 37°C.
Optimal pH for most enzymes: 6-8.
Stomach enzymes → Work at pH 1-3 (acidic).
Intestinal enzymes → Work at pH 8 (slightly basic).
Substrate Concentration
Increasing substrate concentration increases the reaction rate.
If all enzymes are occupied, adding more substrate won’t increase reaction rate.
Temperature
Higher temperature → More molecular collisions → Faster reactions.
Too high → Denaturation (enzyme loses shape & function).
pH
Each enzyme works best at a specific pH.
Changes in pH affect protein structure and folding.
Inhibitors
Molecules that prevent enzymes from binding to substrates.
Two types: Competitive & Non-competitive inhibition.
Competitive Inhibition
Inhibitor binds directly to the active site, blocking the substrate.
Competes with the substrate for binding.
Non-Competitive Inhibition
Inhibitor binds elsewhere on the enzyme (not the active site).
Changes the enzyme’s shape, making it inactive.
