Enzyme (C)

Question 1

What are enzyme inhibitors?

Answer 1

Enzyme inhibitors are chemicals that slow down the rate of enzyme catalysed reactions

Question 2

What are the two types of enzyme inhibitors?

Answer 2

Competitive
Non Competitive

Question 3

How do competitive inhibitors work?

Answer 3

The inhibitor has a similar structure to the normal substrate and competes with it for attachment to the active site. The rate of reaction is reduced as the substrate cannot bind when the inhibitor molecule is occupying the active site

Question 4

What does the addition of more substrates do to the effect of competitive inhibitors?

Answer 4

The effect of competitive inhibitors is reduced, this is because the substrate out competes the inhibitor molecules for attachment to the active site

Question 4

What does the addition of more substrates do to the effect of non competitive inhibitors?

Answer 4

The effect of non competitive inhibitors stays the same. Adding more substrates has no effect on the non competitive inhibitors.

Question 4

How do non competitive inhibitors work?

Answer 4

Non competitive inhibitors do not have a similar structure to the substrate. They combine at a position anywhere other than the active site of the enzyme to form an enzyme/inhibitor complex altering the tertiary structure and shape of the active site of the enzyme. The substrate cannot attach to the altered active site as it is no longer complementary.