deck_5661106 Flashcards
Why are enzymes called biological catalysts?
Because they speed up metabolic reactions in living organisms. Their actions affect both structure and function within cells, tissues and organs
What do catalysts do?
Speed up chemical reactions and remain unchanged at the end of the reaction and able to be used again. A small amount of catalyst can catalyse the conversion of a large number of substrate molecules into product molecules
What is a turnover number?
The number of reactions that an enzyme molecule can catalyse per second
Why are enzymes better than chemical catalysts?
Need lower temperatures, neutral pH and normal pressure so they are able to function in conditions that sustain life. Also enzymes are more specific and don’t produce unwanted by-products/rarely make mistakes. Their production and activity is regulated to fit the needs of the cell or the organism
What may enzymes need help from to catalyse some reactions?
Cofactors
Where are the instructions for making enzymes?
They are encoded in the genes. If the gene has a mutation that alters the sequence of amino acids in the protein then it ma alter the enzyme’s tertiary structure and prevent it from functioning
What happens if an enzyme that catalyses a metabolic reaction is deficient?
A metabolic disorder
What do enzymes also catalyse the formation of?
Organism’s structural components such as collagen in bone, cartilage, blood-vessel walls, joints and connective tissue
What do some genetic disorder cause?
Malformations of connective tissue and can be very harmful
What is an active site?
Indented area on the surface of an enzyme molecule, with a shape that is complementary to the shape of the substrate molecule
Why is the tertiary structure of the active site crucial?
Its shape is complementary to the shape of the substrate molecule
Why is it a good thing that each type of enzyme is highly specific in its function?
It can only catalyse a reaction involving the particular type of substrate molecule that fits into its active site
What can the shape of the enzymes active site, and ability to catalyse a reaction be altered by?
Changes in temperature and pH as these affect the bonds that hold proteins in their tertiary structure
Where do enzymes work?
Enzymes catalyse a wide range of intracellular and extracellular reactions
Why are intracellular enzymes needed?
Within organelles there may be up to 1000 metabolic reactions going on at the same time, each being catalysed by a different enzyme. Some of these reactions are part of a metabolic pathway
What is a metabolic pathway?
Each metabolic pathway in a living cell is one of a series of consecutive reactions, every step catalysed by a specific enzyme that produces a specific product
What acts as substrates for specific enzymes?
The various reactants and intermediates
What are the reactants, intermediates and products known as?
Metabolites
What happens in catabolic metabolic pathways?
Metabolites are broken down to smaller molecules and release energy
What happens in anabolic metabolic pathways?
Energy is used to synthesise larger molecules from smaller ones
What are respiration and photosynthesis examples of?
Complex metabolic pathways with many enzymes involed
Where is catalase found?
In nearly all living organisms that are exposed to oxygen
Why is catalase very important?
It protects cells from damage by reactive oxygen by quickly breaking down hydrogen peroxide, a potentially harmful by product of many metabolic reactions, to water and oxygen
What does catalase consist of?
Four polypeptide chains and contains a haem group with iron
How fast is catalase?
It is the fastest acting enzyme, having the highest turnover known, of about 6million per second
Where is catalase found in eukaryotic cells?
Inside small vesicles called peroxisomes
How is catalase used in white blood cells?
When white blood cells ingest pathogens, they use catalase to help kill the invading microbe
What is the optimum pH for human catalase?
Around pH7, but for other species it varies between pH 4 and 11