Enzymes basics

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What is an enzyme?

An enzyme is a protein that acts as a catalyst to accelerate a chemical reaction.

How do enzymes affect activation energy?

Enzymes lower the activation energy needed for a reaction to occur, speeding up the process.

What is the active site of an enzyme?

The active site is the region on the enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction takes place.

What is a substrate in enzymatic reactions?

A substrate is the reactant that an enzyme acts upon during a biochemical reaction.

What is meant by enzyme specificity?

Enzyme specificity refers to the tendency of enzymes to catalyze only one specific reaction or a group of closely related reactions.

Explain how temperature affects enzyme activity.

Temperature can increase enzyme activity by enhancing kinetic energy, but if too high, it can denature the enzyme, reducing its activity.

How does pH affect enzyme activity?

Every enzyme has an optimal pH range. Deviations can alter the enzyme's structure and function, sometimes leading to denaturation.

What is enzyme saturation?

Enzyme saturation occurs when all enzyme molecules are engaged in catalysis and adding more substrate doesn't increase the rate.

What are cofactors and coenzymes in relation to enzymes?

Cofactors are non-protein molecules that assist enzymes during the catalysis of reactions. Coenzymes are organic cofactors.

What is an enzyme inhibitor?

An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to an enzyme and decreases its activity, either reversibly or irreversibly.

Distinguish between competitive and non-competitive inhibition.

Competitive inhibitors bind to the active site, while non-competitive inhibitors bind elsewhere, altering the enzyme's function.

What is a metabolic pathway?

A metabolic pathway is a series of chemical reactions in a cell, facilitated by enzymes, leading to the conversion of substrates to products.

Give an example of how enzymes are used in industry.

Enzymes are used in the dairy industry to produce lactose-free milk by breaking down lactose.

What is feedback inhibition in enzyme activity?

Feedback inhibition is a process where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an enzyme involved earlier in the pathway.

Why are enzymes important for living organisms?

Enzymes are crucial because they enable reactions to occur rapidly and efficiently under conditions in living organisms.