Enzymer Flashcards

(43 cards)

1
Q

What are enzymes?

A

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms.

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2
Q

True or False: Enzymes are consumed in the reactions they catalyze.

A

False

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3
Q

What is the active site of an enzyme?

A

The active site is the region on the enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

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4
Q

Fill in the blank: Enzymes lower the _____ of a chemical reaction.

A

activation energy

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5
Q

What is enzyme kinetics?

A

Enzyme kinetics is the study of the rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.

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6
Q

What is the Michaelis-Menten equation used for?

A

The Michaelis-Menten equation is used to describe the rate of enzymatic reactions with a single substrate.

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7
Q

Define Vmax in enzyme kinetics.

A

Vmax is the maximum rate of an enzymatic reaction when the enzyme is saturated with substrate.

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8
Q

What does Km represent in enzyme kinetics?

A

Km is the Michaelis constant, which represents the substrate concentration at which the reaction rate is half of Vmax.

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9
Q

True or False: A lower Km value indicates a higher affinity between the enzyme and the substrate.

A

True

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10
Q

What is a competitive inhibitor?

A

A competitive inhibitor is a substance that competes with the substrate for binding to the active site of the enzyme.

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11
Q

How does a non-competitive inhibitor affect enzyme activity?

A

A non-competitive inhibitor binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site, reducing the overall number of active enzymes.

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12
Q

Fill in the blank: Enzymes are typically proteins, but some are made of _____.

A

RNA

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13
Q

What role do cofactors play in enzymatic reactions?

A

Cofactors are non-protein molecules that assist enzymes in catalyzing reactions.

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14
Q

What is allosteric regulation?

A

Allosteric regulation is the process by which the binding of a molecule to a site other than the active site affects enzyme activity.

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15
Q

True or False: Enzymes can function at any temperature.

A

False

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16
Q

What effect does temperature have on enzyme activity?

A

Enzyme activity typically increases with temperature up to a certain point, after which it decreases due to denaturation.

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17
Q

What is enzyme denaturation?

A

Enzyme denaturation is the process where the enzyme loses its three-dimensional structure and, consequently, its activity.

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18
Q

What is a substrate?

A

A substrate is a reactant molecule upon which an enzyme acts.

19
Q

Fill in the blank: The _____ model describes the specific interaction between an enzyme and its substrate.

20
Q

What is the difference between a reversible and irreversible inhibitor?

A

Reversible inhibitors can bind and unbind from the enzyme, while irreversible inhibitors permanently deactivate the enzyme.

21
Q

What is feedback inhibition?

A

Feedback inhibition is a regulatory mechanism where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an enzyme involved in its synthesis.

22
Q

True or False: Enzymes can catalyze reactions in both directions.

23
Q

What is the role of enzyme specificity?

A

Enzyme specificity refers to the ability of an enzyme to select for a particular substrate among a group of similar molecules.

24
Q

What are zymogens?

A

Zymogens are inactive enzyme precursors that require a biochemical change to become active.

25
Fill in the blank: Enzyme activity can be affected by changes in _____ and _____ levels.
pH, substrate
26
How do enzyme inhibitors affect the rate of reaction?
Enzyme inhibitors decrease the rate of reaction by preventing the substrate from binding to the enzyme or by reducing the enzyme's activity.
27
What is the significance of the catalytic efficiency of an enzyme?
Catalytic efficiency reflects how effectively an enzyme converts substrate into product and is often represented by the ratio of kcat/Km.
28
True or False: Enzymes are highly specific and can catalyze multiple reactions.
False
29
What is the role of prosthetic groups in enzymes?
Prosthetic groups are tightly bound non-polypeptide units that assist in enzyme function.
30
Define the term 'enzyme turnover number' (kcat).
kcat is the number of substrate molecules converted to product by an enzyme in a given time when the enzyme is fully saturated.
31
What is the effect of increasing substrate concentration on enzyme activity?
Increasing substrate concentration increases enzyme activity until the enzyme becomes saturated.
32
Fill in the blank: The _____ hypothesis describes the dynamic interaction between an enzyme and its substrate.
induced fit
33
What is the role of enzyme inhibitors in drug design?
Enzyme inhibitors can be designed as drugs to target specific enzymes involved in disease processes.
34
True or False: Enzymes can function in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures and acidic pH.
True
35
What is the importance of enzyme regulation?
Enzyme regulation is important for maintaining metabolic balance and responding to changes in cellular conditions.
36
What are the two main types of enzyme kinetics?
The two main types of enzyme kinetics are zero-order and first-order kinetics.
37
Fill in the blank: The _____ effect refers to the phenomenon where the binding of one substrate molecule increases the binding affinity of additional substrate molecules.
cooperativity
38
What is the role of temperature in enzyme reactions?
Temperature affects the kinetic energy of molecules, which influences the rate of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
39
What are enzyme assays used for?
Enzyme assays are laboratory methods used to measure enzyme activity and kinetics.
40
Define 'enzyme specificity.'
Enzyme specificity is the ability of an enzyme to preferentially catalyze a specific reaction for a particular substrate.
41
What is an enzyme's turnover number (kcat)?
kcat is the maximum number of substrate molecules that one enzyme molecule converts to product per unit time under saturating substrate conditions.
42
True or False: Enzymes are only found in living organisms.
False
43
What is the primary function of enzymes in biological systems?
The primary function of enzymes is to catalyze biochemical reactions, thereby facilitating metabolic processes.