Enzymes Flashcards
What is an enzyme?
A catalytic protein
What does an enzyme do?
It alters the speed of metabolic reactions, by changing energy barriers, without being used up in the reaction itself.
What is a catalyst?
An agent that alters the speed of a reaction without being used up in the reaction itself.
What is a substrate?
The reactant which an enzyme acts on
Are enzymes substrate-specific?
Yes
What is the active site of an enzyme?
The region on the enzyme where the substrate binds
What does substrate-specificity mean?
An enzyme will only bind to a substrate with the correct corresponding shape to the enzyme’s active site
Before a product is formed, what is the name of the intermediate made?
Enzyme-substrate complex
What is the Activation Energy?
The initial amount of energy needed to start a chemical reaction
What does an enzyme do in a metabolic reaction?
It catalyses the rate of a reaction by changing (usually lowering) the activation energy barrier.
