2.3.3 Enzymes Flashcards
What are Enzymes
Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts to speed up the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed or used up in the reaction
Why are Enzymes biological
because they are made in living cells
Why are Enzymes necessary to all living organisms
as they maintain reaction speeds of all metabolic reactions at a rate that can sustain life
Give an example to why Enzymes are critical to living organisms
if we did not produce digestive enzymes, it would take around 2 – 3 weeks to digest one meal; with enzymes, it takes around 4 hours
Why are Enzymes particular to one substrate
as the active site of the enzyme, where the substrate attaches, is a complementary shape to the substrate
When the substrate moves into the enzyme’s active site they become known as, what?
enzyme-substrate complex
After the reaction has occurred, what happens
the products leave the enzyme’s active site as they no longer fit it and it is free to take up another substrate
What are Enzymes shape determined by?
determined by the amino acids that make the enzyme and held in place by bonds
What is the optimum temp for an Enzyme
37 C
Heating to high temperatures (beyond the optimum) will break the bonds that hold the enzyme together and it will lose its shape, what is this known as?
This is known as denaturation
Increasing the temperature towards the optimum increases the activity of enzymes, why?
the more kinetic energy the molecules have the faster they move and the number of collisions with the substrate molecules increases, leading to a faster rate of reaction
Do low temperature Enzymes denature
they just make them work more slowly due to a lack of kinetic energy But no they cant
once enzymes are denatured can they regain their proper shape?
Denaturation is irreversible
What is the optimum pH for most enzymes
7
Which enzymes have a lower optimum pH
Some enzymes that are produced in acidic conditions, such as the stomach (pH2)
