Enzymology Flashcards
What are enzymes?
These are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions
Identify the three main characteristics of enzymes.
They do not alter the equilibrium of a reaction
They are not consumed or altered
They’re highly specific for each reaction
What is enzyme classification based on?
Typically based on the type of reaction they catalyze
What are oxidoreductases?
These are enzymes that catalyze oxidation/reduction reactions
What are transferases?
These are enzymes that transfer groups other than hydrogens like amines
What are hydrolases?
These are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of an ether or ester.
List some classes or enzymes.
Hydrolases Transferases Oxidoreductases Lyases Isomerases Ligases
What type of compound are enzymes?
Proteins
How are enzymes structured?
They have primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures
What shale do enzymes have?
Enzymes are roughly globular in shape
What does denaturation imply for enzymes?
Denaturation in enzymes means a change in their structure which causes loss of activity
What is the primary structure of an enzyme?
Chain of specific amino acid sequences
What is the secondary structure of an enzyme?
Alpha helix and beta pleated sheet
What is the tertiary structure of an enzyme?
Comprehensive 3-D structure
What is the quaternary structure of an enzyme?
Multiple subunits of AA chains joining together
What are the two enzyme sites?
The active site and the allosteric site
What is the active site of an enzyme?
The active site is a specific AA sequence that binds a specific substrate
On what site of an enzyme does a substrate bind to?
Active site
By what enzyme structure is the active site formed?
Tertiary structure
Are the bonds binding a substrate to an active site covalent?
No
What type of bond is there between an active site and a substrate?
Hydrogen or Van def Waals forces
This site is where bonds of the substrate are broken and new bonds are formed resulting in a new product .
The active site
What happens when a specific substrate binds to a specific amino acid sequence of an enzyme?
Bonds of that substrate are broken and new bonds are formed resulting in a new product
What does a change to active site cause?
Any change to the active site of an enzyme affects substrate affinity to enzyme.
What is the allosteric site of an enzyme?
This is an area in the enzyme that affects enzyme activity by allowing molecules to either activate or inhibit an activity
What are the two types of allosteric sites?
Allosteric activators and allosteric inhibitors
What does an allosteric activator do?
It enhances the substrate-enzyme binding and make their interaction more efficient
What does an allosteric inhibitor do?
It changes the conformation of the active site, preventing the substrate from binding, thus the reaction can’t occur
What do you understand by isoenzymes?
These are multiple forms of an enzyme with different amino acid sequences but that catalyze the same biochemical reaction
What are the properties of isoenzymes?
They have different molecular structures
They have different genetic origins
Catalyze the same biochemical reaction
What do you understand by cofactors?
These are non protein substances necessary for enzyme activity to occur.
These non protein substances are sometimes needed for an enzyme to be catalytically active.
Cofactors
How do cofactors help enzyme activity?
By helping the enzyme attract the substrate
When cofactors are organic, how are they called? Give examples.
Coenzymes. NAD, vitamin B6
When cofactors are inorganic, how are they called?
Activators
What are prosthetic groups?
Prosthetic groups are cofactors that are bound tightly to enzymes through covalent bonds
How is an enzyme that normally has a cofactor but is not currently bound to it called?
Apoenzyme
How is the entire structure if an enzyme bound to its cofactors called?
Holoenzyme
What is international unit?
This is the amount of enzyme that will catalyze the reaction of one micro molecule of substrate per minute under specific conditions.
What are enzymes quantified relative to?
To their activity and not their direct concentration
What is katal measurement?
This is an SI measurement defined as the number of moles of substrate converted to product in one second.
What is enzyme kinetics?
This is the relationship between enzyme, substrate and product. That is, how quickly the enzyme works on substrate to form product.
Catalytic mechanism is stated as?
E + S -> ES -> P + E
List the influencers of enzymatic reactions.
Enzyme concentration Substrate concentration pH Temperature Cofactor concentration Inhibitors
How does enzyme concentration affect enzymatic reactions?
The overall rate of enzymatic reaction is proportional to the concentration of enzyme present in the system with constant substrate
How does substrate concentration affect enzymatic reaction?
Reaction rate is proportional to substrate concentration if enzyme concentration is kept constant
What is first order kinetics as per substrate concentration?
First order kinetics happens when substrate concentration is low. The reaction rate is proportional to substrate concentration as long as there is plenty of enzyme
This kinetics takes over when substrate concentration is high. The reaction rate is independent of the substrate concentration because all enzyme is bound and the reaction’s max velocity is achieved.
Zero order kinetics
What is the M-M equation?
This is the substrate rate curve that expresses the relationship between substrate concentration and the velocity of the enzymatic .
The M-M equation is expressed as what formula?
V = Vmax(S) / Km+S
What is Vmax per the M-M curve?
Reaction velocity at maximal substrate concentration
What us Km per M-M curve?
M-M constant for a given substrate acting on a given enzyme . Concentration at which half of the maximum velocity is reached
What is the Lineweaver burk plot?
It’s a plot that expresses M-M kinetics as a straight line by using reciprocal numbers
What is Vmax with Lineweaver-Burk plot?
Vmax is the reciprocal of the y-intercept of the straight line
What is Km with Lineweaver-Burk plot?
Km is the negative reciprocal of the x-intercept of the straight line
How does pH affect enzymatic reactions?
Reaction rates drop when pH decreases because of the effects of hydrogen ions on active site
How does temperature affect enzymatic reactions?
Too high temperatures denature enzymes and reaction rate will drop
How does cofactor concentration affect enzymatic reactions?
Increased cofactors concentration increases the velocity of the reaction by the formation of the most active state of the enzyme,
What are inhibitors?
Substances that reversibly inhibit normal e Ahmed reactions
How do competitive inhibitors function?
They bind the active site and interrupt substrate binding to the active site. Increase Km and traduce substrate affinity to active site while Vmax remains unchanged