Enzymes and Adaptations Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is an enzyme?
An enzyme is a biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions in a living organism.
It is a large protein and found in all living things.
What is the role of an enzyme?
The role of an enzyme is to relgulate and maintain the rate of its chemical activity using the ‘Lock and Key’ theory but now known as the ‘Induced Fit Model’ theory.
How do enzymes work?
Enzymes have specific 3D structures that can match the shape of a substrate exactly but, if the substrate cannot fit into the enzyme correctly, the reaction will not occur. The enzyme and substrate are comlimentary as one can not work without the other.
Using the ‘Induced Fit Model’ theory there are 3 steps
- The subtrate fits into the active site of the enzyme
- The reaction occurs
- The subtrate leaves the active site and then the enzyme is ready to do the process again.
what is the difference between synthesis (breaker) enzymes and decomposition (builder) enzymes?
Synthesis (breaker): a single substrate enter but when leave active site, they leave as two separate substrates
Decomposition (builder): two separate substrates enter active site but leave as a single substrate
What are the factors that effect an enzyme?
Temperature, PH level, concerntration of substrate, concerntration of enzymes. and conditions
What does homeostatisis mean?
Homeostasis means to maintain a relatively constant or stable environment for body cells inside an organism.
What is the role of homeostasis?
It is the process of keeping the internal body environment in a steady state when the external environment has changed.
It is important to ensure the composition of the internal body fluid remains within the required limits.
What does homestasis do?
Homeostatsis helps regulate temperature, hormone level, blood sugar level, cellular environment and waste materials.
What is stimulus?
A stimulus is any information that provokes a response.
What is the role of stimulus?
The role of a stimulus is to help the organism survive and function in it’s environment properly.
What does stimulus do?
The organism needs to be able to pick up information, interpret information and react properly. Organisms have special receptors to detect them.
Feedback loops
What is negative feedback?
Negative Feedback is where it is not helping therefore no improvement
what is positive feedback
Positive feedback is where it is helping the situation therefore an improvement
temperature control
hyprothalamus in brain
controlled by negative feedback
endotherms
ectotherms
ectotherms - body temperature varies, cold blooded
endotherms - mammals, have constant body temperature birds and mammals
versodilation
capularies on skin surface dilate
skin becomes more red
so more heat can be raidiated out of body
What is the pH level of blood?
The pH level of blood is 7.41
What is phenotype?
The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
What is an environment?
An environment includes the abiotic (the non living organisms) and the biotic (the living organisms).
Why is it important to have a stable internal environment?
What two structures make up the central nervous system?
What is a receptor?
A receptor is an organ or other part which recieves a stimulus and transmits it to the organism’s control centre. Examples of receptors are muscle, hearing, vision, oxygen, taste, smell and skin.
What is the nervous system?
Nervous System: Rapid Communicating system within the body to coordinates sensory information with the body’s responses.
