Unit 2 - Proteins & Enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are protein molecules made up of long chains of amino acids
Biological catalysts, they are proteins which speed up reactions in living systems without being changed or used up
Why is using catalysts better than raising the temperature?
Raising the temperature will speed up the reaction but would cause unwanted reactions as well, also there is a limit to how high you can raise temperatures until cells start to get damaged
What are enzymes made up from?
Proteins, and all proteins are made up from chains of amino acids
What are protein molecules made up of?
Long chains of amino acids
What is the active site?
The part of the enzyme which the substrate fits into
What is the activation energy?
The energy required for a chemical reaction to take place
Name 4 types of proteins
- Structural
- Hormones (chemical messengers)
- Antibodies (fight infection)
- Enzymes (catalyze reactions in living cells)
How does temperature effect enzymes?
The rate of emzyme-controlled reactions increases as the temperature increases
Enzyme and substrate move faster
Higher than 40° means the structure of the enzyme changes, this means the active site becomes a different shape and the substrate no longer fits
What is the optimum temperature?
The temperature when the enzyme is working fastest
How does pH effect enzymes?
- Affects shape of active site, by affecting the forces that hold the enzyme molecule together
- A change in pH denatures the enzyme
What are extracellular enzymes?
Enzymes that work outside your body cells
What does amalayse (in saliva) do?
Digests starch into smaller sugars (maltose)
What does pepsin do?
digests proteins into amino acids
Equation for breaking down of starch?
Starch → Sugars
AMYLASE
Equation for breaking down of proteins?
Protein → amino acids
PROTEASE
