Part 2: Enzyme Structure And Function Flashcards
What are enzymes made from?
Enzymes are made from proteins by ribosomes inside cells
What do enzymes do?
They speed up chemical reactions within the body.
What are enzymes often called?
Biological catalysts
What is a substrate?
This is the starting chemical in a reaction.
What is the active site?
This is the part of the enzyme where the reaction happens.
What does ‘complementary’ mean?
When the substrate and active site have shapes that fit together (e.g. jigsaw pieces, or a lock and key)
Which of the below statements is true?
A. Enzymes only make two smaller substrates into one larger product.
B. Enzymes only break one large substrate into smaller products.
C. Some enzymes break large substrate into smaller products, whilst others can make larger products from smaller substrates.
C
What is meant by the “lock and key” hypothesis?
The “lock and key” hypothesis is a theory of enzyme action that explains how enzymes fit their substrate.
Explain why enzymes are specific to one or only a few types of substrates.
The active site of an enzyme is structured to fit a specifically shaped substrate.
