Understanding Enzymes

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What is an enzyme?
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An enzyme is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in cells.
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How do enzymes work as catalysts?
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Enzymes lower the activation energy needed for a reaction, allowing it to occur faster.
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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 occurs.
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What are substrates in enzymatic reactions?
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Substrates are the specific reactants that an enzyme acts on during a chemical reaction.
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What is enzyme specificity?
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Enzyme specificity refers to the enzyme's ability to choose exact substrates and catalyze only one specific type of reaction.
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What factors can affect the activity of enzymes?
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Factors include temperature, pH, and concentration of both substrate and enzyme.
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Why is an enzyme's shape important?
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The specific shape of an enzyme determines its function and the types of reactions it can catalyze.
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What happens when an enzyme is denatured?
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Denaturation occurs when an enzyme loses its specific shape, often due to heat or pH change, hence it loses its function.
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What is meant by the term ‘enzyme inhibition’?
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Enzyme inhibition refers to a process where a molecule decreases or stops the activity of an enzyme.
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How do competitive inhibitors work in enzyme inhibition?
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Competitive inhibitors bind to the active site of an enzyme, competing with the substrate and blocking its binding.
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What is a non-competitive inhibitor?
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A non-competitive inhibitor binds to a site other than the active site of an enzyme, causing a change in shape and reducing its activity.
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What is enzyme kinetics?
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Enzyme kinetics is the study of the rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
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What is the ‘lock and key’ model of enzyme action?
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The 'lock and key' model describes how enzymes and substrates fit together precisely, like a key fitting into a lock.
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What is the 'induced fit' model of enzyme action?
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The 'induced fit' model suggests that the active site of an enzyme changes shape to fit the substrate as it binds.
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Why are enzymes important to biological processes?
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Enzymes are crucial as they regulate all biological processes, enabling complex reactions to occur at the speed necessary for life.
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