enzymes Flashcards
what type of biomolecules are enzymes?
proteins
are there certain organisms that do not have enzymes?
no, they are present in all living organisms
what does BIOLOGICAL CATALYSTS mean?
it means that enzymes speed up reactions
why is it said that enzymes can be recycled?
beacuse they can speed up a reaction and remain unchanged at the end, which means they can be used over and over again
what are the functions of enzymes?
enzymes can either break down large molecules into smaller ones, build up large molecules from small ones or convert a molecule into another one
why do enzymes break down large molecules into smaller ones?
so these can be absorbed and then used by the body. This function is important in nutrition
how do enzymes build up large molecules from small ones?
by joining them together to speed up the formation of storage and structural molecules
how do enzymes convert a molecule into another molecule?
by adding or removing atoms or groups of atoms
what is the enzyme’s ACTIVE SITE?
the active site is the place in the enzyme where the substrate is going to fit in, where the reaction takes place
how is the shape of the active site mantained?
it’s mantained by bonds between different parts of the molecule
why do we say that enzymes are specific?
because each enzyme catalyses only one type of reaction with a specific substrate, as only one type of substrate fits in an enzyme’s active site.
there’s one enzyme for each reaction
what type fo reactions do enzymes catalyse?
enzyme catalyse reactions in which substrates are converted into products
why do substrates fit in the enzyme’s active site?
because they have a complementary shape
what is it meant by the “lock and key model”?
it means that the enzyme and the substrate combine like a key entering a lock to form an enzyme-substrate complex.
the substrate fits right into the enzyme’s active site like a key fits into its lock, however, if it’s not the correct substrate, it wont fit, like a key won’t fit/open a lock that isn’t its own
how is the activity of an enzyme determined?
by measuring its rate of reaction
