Basics of Enzymes

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What are enzymes?
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Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions in living organisms.
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What is the active site of an enzyme?
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The active site is the region on an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.
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What is a substrate in enzyme activity?
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A substrate is the specific reactant that an enzyme acts upon during a biochemical reaction.
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How do enzymes lower activation energy?
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Enzymes lower activation energy by stabilizing the transition state, making it easier for the reaction to occur.
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What is an example of an enzyme and its function?
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Amylase is an enzyme that helps break down starch into sugars during digestion.
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How is enzyme activity affected by temperature?
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Enzyme activity increases with temperature up to a point but can denature and lose function if the temperature is too high.
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What is denaturation in the context of enzymes?
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Denaturation is the process where an enzyme loses its shape and, consequently, its function due to factors like pH or temperature changes.
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How does pH affect enzyme activity?
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Each enzyme has an optimal pH range where it functions best, and extreme pH levels can denature the enzyme.
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What are enzyme inhibitors?
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Enzyme inhibitors are molecules that bind to enzymes and decrease their activity.
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What is a cofactor?
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A cofactor is a non-protein chemical that assists enzymes in performing their catalytic activity.
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What is a coenzyme?
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A coenzyme is an organic non-protein compound that binds to an enzyme and is necessary for its activity.
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What is enzyme specificity?
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Enzyme specificity is the concept that each enzyme only catalyzes one kind of reaction or acts on a specific substrate.
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What is the importance of enzymes in metabolism?
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Enzymes are crucial for metabolism as they regulate the speed of chemical reactions necessary for life processes.
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What is the lock and key model?
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The lock and key model suggests that the enzyme's active site is exactly complementary to the shape of the substrate.
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What is the induced fit model?
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The induced fit model proposes that enzyme active sites are flexible and change shape to bind more precisely with the substrate.
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