Enzymes, P/Synthesis, Cellular Respiration Flashcards
What are catalysts?
Catalysts are substances which speed up the rate of a chemical reaction, without using itself up
What is the substrate?
The substrate is the molecule that the enzyme acts on
How is the active site formed?
Formed by folding of polypeptide chains to form a small region with a unique shape
What happens if the shape of the active site is changed?
If the shape is altered by chemical or physical treatment the ability for the enzyme to function is reduced temporarily or permanently lost
What is it called when the active site is permanently changed?
Denatured
What is an enzyme with absolute or substrate specificity?
An enzyme can act on one substrate only
Eg.lactase
What is an enzyme with bond specificity?
An enzyme can only act on a particular type of chemical bond
Eg. Peptide bonds
What is an enzyme with group specificity?
An enzyme can only act on molecules with particular functional groups surrounding a bond
How are enzymes stopped from acting at inappropriate times?
Many exist as inactive pro enzymes (zymogens) which are only activated in response to relevant signals, this prevents them causing damage
What is monomeric enzyme?
Consists of a single polypeptide chain
What is an obligomer?
Consists of two or more polypeptide chains, these are called subunits. The subunits can either be different or identical
What is more common obligomer or monomeric enzymes?
Obligomer
What is metabolism?
The sum of all chemical reactions that take place in cells
What reactions breakdown?
Catabolic
What reactions build up?
Anabolic
What factors can effect the efficiency of enzymes?
Temp, pH, enzyme concentration, substrate concentration
What is a competitive inhibitor?
Some compounds resemble the substrate molecules and they compete for the same active site
What is rational drug design?
Biologists can work out the shape of many enzymes. They can design inhibitors that will stop certain enzymes from working.
Eg. Pain killers
What are non-competitive inhibitors?
Non- competitive or allosteric regulators bind to a site that is seperate form the active site. The inhibitor changes the shape of the enzyme meaning the substrate is unable to bind to the active site.
What are the inputs of p/s?
Carbon dioxide, water
What are the outputs of p/s?
Glucose (simple sugar), oxygen
What is a phototrophic organism?
Organisms that use sunlight to produce organic molecules eg. Sugar
What is autotrophic?
Turns simple compounds to organic compounds
What is an organic compound?
Carbon containing molecules
What is a producer?
Producers are organisms which have the ability to synthesise light for energy. Producer is another name for phototrophic organisms
What is p/s?
The process in which light energy is transformed into chemical energy stored in organic molecules such as sugars
Where does the light dependent phase occur?
The thylakoid membrane of a chloroplast
Where does the light independent phase occur?
In the stroma of a chloroplast
What comes first the light dependent or independent stage?
Dependent
Does the light dependent stage require light?
Yes
What are the two main actions that the electrons in the E.T.C do?
- pump H+ ions into the thylakoid space
- produce energy to form a new molecule NADPH
How are electrons that have been used in the E.T.C replaced?
From water
What is the process where water molecules are split called?
Photolysis
What does the process of photolysis produce?
Hydrogen, oxygen and electrons from the water
What energy source is used during photolysis?
Light energy
What is the waste product of photolysis?
Oxygen
What does ADP stand for?
Adenosine Diphosphate
What does ATP stand for?
Adenosine Triphosphate