Enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Biological catalysts that control many of the reactions in our bodies
What is a catalyst?
A substance that increases the speed of a reaction, without being changed or used up in the reaction
What type of reactions do enzymes produce?
Metabolic reactions
What are enzymes made of?
Proteins made from chains of amino acids
What is the name of the molecule that is changed in an enzyme reaction?
Substrate
What is the name for the part of the enzyme that a substrate joins to?
Active site
Are all active sites the same shape?
No, they are specific to the shape of the substrate they react with
What is the name of the model that explains how a substrate and the active site fit together?
Lock and key model
What is the ‘lock’ in the lock and key model?
Active site
What is the ‘key’ in the lock and key model?
Substrate
Name two factors that affect enzyme function
Temperature and pH
How does temperature effect enzyme activity?
Higher temperature initially increases rate of reaction by providing more energy, but, too much heat can denature the enzyme
What happens when an enzyme denatures?
The bonds holding the enzyme together break apart which changes the shape of the active site so the substrate won’t fit
What happens to enzymes if the pH is too high or too low?
It interferes with the bonds holding the enzyme together - causing it to denature
Enzymes have an optimum temperature and pH. What does this mean?
They work best at a particular temperature and pH
