Enzymes Flashcards
What is a catalyst
A molecule that speeds up a particular reaction without being used up
How do catalysts work (higher level)
It binds a substance to itself so that another substance is more likely to collide with the substance
Is there a catalyst that can speed up any reaction?
No, catalysts only work for specific reactions
What are metabolic reactions
bodily reactions such as digestion, which are mandatory for survival
Define Enzymes
Proteins that speed up metabolic reactions, functioning as biological catalysts
Why are enzymes necessary to survive
Without them, metabolic reactions would be too slow to sustain life
What is a substrate
A substance that binds to an enzyme
What is the active site of an enzyme
The place in the enzyme where the substrate binds
How are products formed
Substrates are broken into product in the active site
What is an enzyme-substrate complex
The combination of an enzyme and a substrate
What does it mean if a substrate and an enzyme are complementary
That the substrate’s shape fits perfectly into the enzyme’s shape
Why are enzymes specific
Because their shape only allows them to bind to one type of substrate
Which enzyme breaks down starch to maltose
amylase
Which enzyme breaks down maltose to glucose
maltase
Which enzyme breaks down protein into amino acids
protease
