Enzymes and DNA Flashcards
What are enzymes
protein based catalyst that are found in living things increase rate of reaction without undergoing changes themselves
how are they specific
they are optimised for only one reaction
why are they globular
they have a shape with an active site which in a cleft within the protein where the reaction takes place
why is it specific
the reacting molecule fits precisely into the active site and are held in right orientation in order to react with vdw forces
what happens when bonded
the forces promote the movement of electrons within the substrate that lowers the activation energy for the reaction
what is stereospecifity
the active site is so specific that it can only catalyse one of the pair of enantiomers
how can enzymes be denatured
cause by a change in ph or temperature
what is competitive inhibition
when a molecule that has a similar shape to the substrate can bind and occupy the active site prevent the substrate from binding
what has comp[uter modelling been used for
to predict the shape of protiens and enzymes before they have been even synthesised therefore predicting their properties
what does dna hold
information about an organism for every cell in the body
why does dna break
the hydrogen bonds are very weak compared to the strength of covalent bond so can break under condition to expose nucleotides
what happens during cell division
the hydrogen bonds unravel but the covalent bonds stay intact and the nucleotides attach to complimetry nucleotides
what is the information used for
to make protiens and polypeptides
what is cance
a group of diseases where cell growth and replication is out of control
describe cisplatin structure
it is square planar
