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Biology Topic 1A > Enzymes > Flashcards

Enzymes Flashcards

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1
Q

What are enzymes?

A

They’re proteins which are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions.

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2
Q

What reactions do enzymes catalyse?

A

Metabolic reactions.

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3
Q

At what level to enzymes catalyse metabolic reactions?

A
  • At cellular level (respiration).

* And for the organism as a whole (digestion in mammals).

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4
Q

What can enzymes affect in organisms?

A
  • Structures

* Functions

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5
Q

What structures can enzymes affect?

A

e.g. Enzymes are involved in the production of collagen, which is an important protein in the connective tissues of animals.

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6
Q

What functions can enzymes affect?

A

e.g. Respiration

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7
Q

What can enzymes action be regarding cells?

A
  • Intracellular (within cells).

* Extracellular (outside cells).

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8
Q

What gives an enzyme their shape?

A

An active site.

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9
Q

What shape is each type enzyme’s active site?

A

A different specific shape.

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10
Q

What happens at the active site of enzymes?

A

This is where the substrate molecules bind to.

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11
Q

Why are enzymes highly specific?

A

Due to their tertiary structure.

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12
Q

What do chemical reactions need to begin?

A

Activation energy.

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13
Q

What is activation energy?

A

A certain amount of energy needed to be supplied to the chemicals before the reaction will start (usually heat).

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14
Q

What do enzymes do to the activation energy of a chemical reaction?

A

They lower the amount of activation energy that is needed.

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15
Q

When enzymes lower the amount of activation energy what does this cause?

A

The reactions often happen and lower temperatures.

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16
Q

What do enzymes do to the rate of reaction?

A

They speed it up.

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17
Q

What does a graph comparing activation energies with and without enzymes look like?

A

Picture

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18
Q

What happens when a substrate reacts with an enzyme?

A

It fits into the enzymes active site forming an enzyme-substrate complex.

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19
Q

What does the enzyme-substrate complex cause?

A

The lower activation energy.

20
Q

Why does the enzyme-substrate complex cause the lower activation energy?

A
  • The molecules can bond more easily.

* The substrate molecule can break up more easily.

21
Q

Why does the enzyme-substrate complex cause the molecules to bond more easily?

A

Because if two substrates need to be joined, being attached to the enzyme holds them close together, thus reducing any repulsion between the molecules so they can bond more easily.

22
Q

Why does the enzyme-substrate complex cause the substrate molecules to break up more easily?

A

Because if the enzyme is catalysing a breakdown reaction, fitting into the active site puts strain on bonds in the substrate, so the molecule breaks up more easily.

23
Q

What is the ‘lock and key model’?

A

Where the enzyme’s active site and the substrate have a complementary shape.

24
Q

What is the complementary shape of the enzyme ‘lock and key’ model?

A

Where the substrate fits into the enzyme the same way that a key fits into a lock.

25
Q

What does the ‘lock and key’ model of an enzyme and a substrate look like?

A

Picture

26
Q

What did scientists soon realise about the ‘lock and key’ model?

A

That it didn’t give the full story.

27
Q

What did the new evidence show about the ‘lock and key’ model?

A

That the enzyme and substrate do have to fit together but the enzyme-substrate complex changed shape slightly to complete the fit.

28
Q

What does the enzyme-substrate complex changing shape slightly cause?

A

The substrate to be locked even more tightly to the enzyme.

29
Q

What did the scientists call the new model that they found with their new evidence?

A

The ‘induced fit’ model.

30
Q

What does the ’induced fit’ model help to explain?

A

Why enzymes are so specific and can only bond to only one particular substrate.

31
Q

Why does the ‘induced fit’ model explain why enzymes are so specific?

A

Because the substrate has to be the right shape to fit the active site and to change the shape of the active site the right way as well.

32
Q

What happens after the products are released from an enzyme?

A

The active site returns to its original shape and can bind to the next substrate molecule.

34
Q

What are enzyme properties related to?

A

Their tertiary structures.

35
Q

What is the main property of an enzyme?

A

That it is very specific.

36
Q

What does it mean when enzymes are very specific?

A

That they usually only catalyse one reaction, as only one complementary shape will fit into its active site.

37
Q

What is an example of an enzyme’s specificity?

A

e.g. Maltase only breaks down maltose and sucrase only breaks down sucrose.

38
Q

What does the ‘induced fit’ model look like?

A

Picture

41
Q

What is the tertiary shape of an enzyme determined by?

A

It’s primary structure.

42
Q

What does the tertiary shape of an enzyme determine?

A

The active sites shape.

43
Q

Why does each enzyme have a different active site shape?

A

As they have a different tertiary structure.

44
Q

What does it look like when an enzyme can’t be and can be catalysed?

A

Picture

45
Q

What happens if the tertiary structure of an enzyme is altered?

A

The shape of the active site will change.

46
Q

What happens if the shape of the enzymes active site is changed?

A

The substrate won’t fit into the active site so the enzyme-substrate complex won’t be formed and the enzyme will no longer be able to carry out its function.

47
Q

What can alter the tertiary structure of an enzyme?

A
  • pH

* Temperature

48
Q

What is the primary structure of a protein determined by?

A

A gene.

49
Q

What happens if a mutation occurs in the primary structure (gene) of the enzyme?

A

It could change the tertiary structure of the enzyme produced.

Biology Topic 1A (8 decks)

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