Enzymes Flashcards
(105 cards)
What are enzymes?
Biological catalysts. Usually proteins.
What are some features of enzymes?
- Catalyse metabolic reactions
- One reaction = one enzyme
- Specific
- Lower activation energy
What is the transition state?
The maximum value of energy, has to be reached for the reaction to happen
What does the rate of reaction depend on?
How many reacting molecules acquire enough activation energy to reach and pass through the transition state
Why can’t the body use pH or temperature as catalysts?
Can’t change these without harming the body but need to accelerate the reaction
What is Rate Enhancement?
- Enzymes increase the rate, the reaction would still happen without it but a lot slower
- Enzymes determine the time scale for living organisms
What does the rate of reaction depend on?
Size of the energy barrier and the reaction taken between S and P
What does the substrate and product tell us?
The equilibrium of the system but not the kinetics - how fast S goes to P
What is meant by equilibrium in the system?
Stable. Concentrations of reactants and products are constant, ratio does not vary. Forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates
What is the rate of reaction proportional to?
The concentration of reactants
- Rate A to B ∝ [A]
What are K values?
Tell us how fast a reaction happens
How do you calculate catalytic power?
ratio of catalysed/ uncatalysed rates
What is the equation for equilibrium?
Keq = [B] / [A]
What is a unimolecular reaction?
A → B
- If you increase conc of A the rate of reaction increase
- Linear relationship
Why is the relationship between substrate conc and rate non linear?
Enzymes become limiting as there are no more available active sites
What is Vmax?
Maximum rate that a given concentration of enzyme can achieve
What is Km?
Substrate concentration giving a rate of Vmax/2
What are the assumptions of Michaelis-Menten plot?
- Progress from the activated ES to product is irreversible
- Substrate is available in large amounts compared to enzyme
- ES complex is at a steadu state
What are the two ways that ES can disappear?
- Dissociate back to E+S
- Form E+P
How do you work out the rate of enzyme catalysed reaction?
V = [ES].k2
Why can’t you measure [ES]?
Know how much E and S but as soon as the reaction starts ES forms too.
What is the equation for the total amount of enzymes?
Etot = [E] + [ES]
What is the Michaelis Menten equation?
V= Vmax[S]/ Km + [S]
Why is there a mximum rate?
- Doesn’t have enough enzyme capacity
- At a fixed conc they become limiting