Enzymes Flashcards
Ch 9
Definition of metabolism?
all chemical reactions in an organism
Primary source of energy for life on earth is?
sun
Cellular energy is?
the energy stored in the bonds of biomolecules
Definition of enzymes?
are biological catalysts made of protein that speed up chemical reactions
Enzymes are made of?
chains of amino acids (+ protein)
Comment on shape of the chain of amino acids that make up enzymes.
folded - into a three dimensional shape
Enzymes having the 3D shape means?
it will fit neatly and react only with a substance of a shape that matches the complementary enzyme
What’s a catalyst?
a substance that speeds up a reaction, without itself being used in the reaction
What’s a substrate?
the substance in which an enzyme reacts
What is a product?
the substance(s) the enzyme forms
Name a catabolic enzyme.
amylase
Name two anabolic enzymes.
DNA ligase, DNA/RNA polymerase
What is a denatured enzyme?
has lost its shape and can no longer function (dead)
Name 2 factors that affect enzyme activity.
temperature, pH
Human enzymes work best at what temperature?
37 degrees celsius
Most plant enzymes work best at what temperature?
20-30 degrees celsius
For most enzymes, the optimum pH is?
6/7/8
What is bioprocessing?
the use of enzyme-controlled reactions to produce a product
What is a bioreactor?
a vessel or container in which living cells or their products are used to make a product
Name 3 methods of immobilising enzymes.
- attached to each other
- attached to insoluble supports
- enclosed within a membrane or gel
What are immobilised enzymes?
enzymes that are attached, or fixed, to each other, or to an inert material (or enclosed in a membrane or gel)
4 advantages of immobilised enzymes?
- can be reused
- product doesn’t need to be seperated from the enzyme
- pure product
- allows for continuous flow process
Penicillin acylase does what?
allows development of new antibiotics
