Enzymes Flashcards
What type of protein are enzymes?
Globular
What structure do enzymes have?
Tertiary - complex 3D shape held together by bond (ionic, hydrogen, disulphide bridges, hydrophobic interactions) determines shape of active site
What are enzymes?
Globular proteins which act as biological catalysts
What’s a biological catalyst?
Something made of living cells which helps speed up the rate of chemical reactions
What two types of metabolic reactions do enzymes control?
Anabolic
Catabolic
What’s an anabolic reaction?
Building up molecules (eg. Protein synthesis)
What’s a catabolic reaction?
Breaking down molecules (eg. Digestion )
When a substrate binds to an enzyme what forms?
Enzyme-substrate complex
What does complimentary shape mean?
Enzymes are specific to their substrate
How does an enzyme act on a substrate?
It makes temporary bonds at the active site forming an enzyme substrate complex
What does each enzyme do?
It catalyses one SPECIFIC reaction
Why do enzymes only catalyse one Specific reaction?
They have a specific 3D tertiary structure (active site is only specific to one substrate)
Why does Maltase only catalyse maltose in digestion? (3marks)
Maltase only catalyses maltose in a hydrolysis reaction because it has a specific 3D structure.
Therefore the active site will have a specific shape so only maltose (substrate) which has a complimentary shape will bind to the active site to form an enzyme substrate complex
How do reactions occur between enzymes and substrates?
Reactions occur due to collisions which have to be the right orientation and force
Where are enzymes made and where do they act?
Intracellular (inside cells)
Extracellular ( secreted outside cells)
What are the two different theories of how enzyme substrate complexes form?
Lock and Key Model
Induced Fit Model
What does the lock and key model suggest about E-S complexes?
It’s an earlier model which suggests enzyme active sites are rigid and permanent
Explain the lock and key model?
The active site of the enzyme acts as the specific lock whilst the substrate acts as the key due to its complimentary shape. When the substrate binds to the active site an anabolic or catabolic reaction occurs to achieve the products.
Explain the induce fit model?
Before the reaction, the active site is NOT complimentary to the substrate
As the substrate binds the active site changes shape to better fit/become complimentary to the substrate to form an enzyme-substrate complex
This stresses and distorts the bonds in the substrate causing the reaction to occur and products to be released
What do enzymes do to cause a high rate of reaction?
Lower activation energy
How is activation energy lowered and why is it useful?
The stress/ distorting of bonds in the substrate causes the activation energy to be lower
It reduces the minimum energy required to start a reaction