Introduction to Enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Biological catalysts
How do enzymes work?
By lowering the activation energy required for a chemical reaction by stabilising the transition state
What is rate enhancement calculated by?
Catalysed rate/uncatalyzed rate
What is the clinical importance of enzymes?
Looking at specific diseases
Using them for diagnosis
Looking at drug therapy
Basic research
If the substrate concentration increases, what also increases?
Reaction velocity
How dower measure enzyme activity?
Measured by increasing the substrate concentration and measuring the accumulation of products over time
What is enzyme activity dependent on?
How rapidly it can process a substrate
What is the maximum velocity a reaction can go to? denoted by?
Vmax
How do we gain more information about the activity of an enzyme?
Using Lineweaver-Burke plot
Putting [S} and Vo under 1
What is Km?
Used along with Vmax to measure enzyme activity
What does Km equal?
The substrate concentration that is required to reach half of maximum velocity
What is the usefulness of a lower Km?
Can work in lower concentration
How do we measure Km?
-1/Km is equal to the x intercept
What are enzymes inhibitors?
Chemicals that interfere with enzyme reactions
What are the two types of enzyme inhibitors?
Irreversible or reversible