Enzyme Inhibitors

Question 1

What is reversible inhibitors?

Answer 1

they can be reversed ( not permanent)
do not denature enzymes
weakly bond to enzymes (h-bonds)
could temporarily change or remove coenzymes and cofactors

Question 2

What are metabolic poisons?

Answer 2

inhibit enzymes in essential metabolic pathways e.g. respiration using cynaide

usually non reversible

Question 3

How can medicine be inhibitors?

Answer 3

they inhibit enzymes in essential processes to pathogens

e.g. cell wall formaton in bacteria (through penicilin) or protein synthesis in viruses

Question 4

What are non-reversible inhibitors?

Answer 4

cannot be reversed
enzyme is permanently denatured
strongly bonded to the enzyme e.g. covalent bond

Question 5

What is product inhibition?

Answer 5

when the product of an enzyme catalysed reaction binds to an enzyme and inhibits its activity

it can be any type of inhibitor e.g. competitive or non competitive but they are always reversible

they help to regulate how much product is made

Question 6

What is the allosteric site?

Answer 6

a site on an enzyme that non-substrate molecules e.g. non competitive inhibitors can bind to - this influences enzyme activity