ENZYMES Flashcards
what are enzymes?
enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts to speed up biological reactions in the body by lowering the energy needed for the reactions to occur.
how do enzymes do what they do best?
By binding specific substrates at their active sites, lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur.
what factors are we able to do to make enzymes do their job more efficiently?
optimal temperature, pH, and substrate concentration.
what is the effect that enzymes have on a biological reaction?
enzymes increase the rate of biological reactions by lowering the activation energy needed, allowing the reactions to occur more quickly and efficently.
what is the function of the active site of an enzyme?
The active site of an enzyme is the region where substrates bind, allowing the enzyme to catalyze a chemical reaction.
how does the lock and key model explains how enzymes work?
It explains how the enzyme (the lock) have a specific shape that fits perfectly with their substrate (the key), explaining that only the correct substrate can bind and trigger a reaction.
what is the effect of substrate concentration on enzyme activity?
higher substrate concentration increases enzyme activity by allowing more interactions.
what does enzyme saturation mean and why is there a limit to the increase in enzyme activity with increasing substrate concentration?
enzyme saturation occurs when all active sites of the enzyme are occupied by substrate leading to a limit in enzyme activity because no additional substrate can bind to the enzyme to increase the reaction rate further.
how does temperature affects the enzyme activity?
by increasing the reaction rate up to a certain optimal temperature, after which higher temps can denature the enzyme which reduces its effectiveness
at what temperature do enzymes work best?
around 37 degrees celcius
why does the enzyme activity completely stops after the optimum temp?
because excessive heat can denature the enzyme, causing it to lose its specific shape and active site meaning it’ll be unable to bind to substrates and catalyze reactions
what does denaturation mean?
when an enzyme (protein), loses it’s natural structure and function due to factors like temperature, pH changes, or concentration.
what effect does pH have on enzyme activity?
it affects by changing the charge and shape of the enzyme and it’s active site - each enzyme has an optimal pH range
what determines an enzyme’s optimum pH?
by its specific structure and chemical properties of it;s active site
what are the main ways in which enzyme inhibitors may stop enzyme activity?
competitive inhibition - binding to the active site, prevents substrates from attaching
non-competitive inhibition - binding to a different site on the enzyme, altering its shape and reducing its activity
