Enzymes basics

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What is an enzyme?
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An enzyme is a protein that acts as a catalyst to accelerate a chemical reaction.
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How do enzymes affect activation energy?
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Enzymes lower the activation energy needed for a reaction to occur, speeding up the process.
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What is the active site of an enzyme?
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The active site is the region on the enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction takes place.
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What is a substrate in enzymatic reactions?
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A substrate is the reactant that an enzyme acts upon during a biochemical reaction.
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What is meant by enzyme specificity?
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Enzyme specificity refers to the tendency of enzymes to catalyze only one specific reaction or a group of closely related reactions.
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Explain how temperature affects enzyme activity.
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Temperature can increase enzyme activity by enhancing kinetic energy, but if too high, it can denature the enzyme, reducing its activity.
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How does pH affect enzyme activity?
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Every enzyme has an optimal pH range. Deviations can alter the enzyme's structure and function, sometimes leading to denaturation.
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What is enzyme saturation?
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Enzyme saturation occurs when all enzyme molecules are engaged in catalysis and adding more substrate doesn't increase the rate.
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What are cofactors and coenzymes in relation to enzymes?
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Cofactors are non-protein molecules that assist enzymes during the catalysis of reactions. Coenzymes are organic cofactors.
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What is an enzyme inhibitor?
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An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to an enzyme and decreases its activity, either reversibly or irreversibly.
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Distinguish between competitive and non-competitive inhibition.
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Competitive inhibitors bind to the active site, while non-competitive inhibitors bind elsewhere, altering the enzyme's function.
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What is a metabolic pathway?
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A metabolic pathway is a series of chemical reactions in a cell, facilitated by enzymes, leading to the conversion of substrates to products.
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Give an example of how enzymes are used in industry.
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Enzymes are used in the dairy industry to produce lactose-free milk by breaking down lactose.
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What is feedback inhibition in enzyme activity?
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Feedback inhibition is a process where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an enzyme involved earlier in the pathway.
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Why are enzymes important for living organisms?
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Enzymes are crucial because they enable reactions to occur rapidly and efficiently under conditions in living organisms.
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