Topic 1- Enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Biological catalysts which are found inside cells.
What is a catalyst?
A chemical which speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction but does not get used up.
What happens to enzymes during biochemical reactions?
Enzymes are unchanged during biochemical reactions
What are enzymes made of?
Proteins
What is a substrate?
The substance which an enzyme works on
What is a product?
The substance(s) which are produced by the reaction
What is the word equation for an enzyme?
Enzyme
Substrate➡️product
What is a degregation reaction?
Changing larger molecules into smaller molecules
What is an example of a degregation reaction?
Amylase
Starch ➡️ Maltose
Substrate Enzyme Product
What is a synthesis reaction?
Changing small molecules into larger ones
Give an example of a synthesis reaction
Phosphorylase
Glucose ➡️ Starch
Substrate Enzyme product
What is an active site?
The part of the enzyme that the substrate fit into.
How many substrates can fit into one enzyme?
Only one
Why can only one substrate act on one enzyme?
Different enzymes have differently shaped active sites so only the correct substrate will fit the correct enzymes active site.
What does specific mean?
It is the term used to describe the fact that one enzyme can work on only one substrate.
What happens to an enzyme at high temperatures?
The enzymes can be destroyed or become denatured.
What happens to an enzyme in low temperatures?
The enzyme stops working
What happens to an enzyme at a pH value other than its optimum?
The enzyme doesn’t work as well or doesn’t work at all
What is the effect of denaturing an enzyme?
When the active site is denatured it changes shape and can no longer bind with its substrate.
What does optimum temperature mean?
The optimum temperature is the temperature an enzyme works best/quickest at.
What is the optimum pH?
The pH an enzyme works best/quickest at
