enzymes- biological molecules Flashcards
what is an enzyme
a protein that acts as a catalyst increasing the rate of a biochemical reaction by lowering the activation energy
Why is the tertiary structure of enzymes important?
the active site has a specific tertiary structuee which is complementary to a specific substrate enabling an enzyme-substrate complex
what is an active site
the group of amino acids that make up the region where a substrate fits to catalyse a reaction
what does the lock and key hyphothesis state
that the binding of the substrate with the enzyme occurs because the active site has a shape which is complementary to the shape of the substrate meaning the substrate fits the active site like a key fits a lock
what does the induced fit hyphothesis state
that the interaction between the substrate and the tertiary structure of the enzyme causes the shape of the active site to change slightly allowing the substrate to “fit”
what is a substrate in the context of enzymes
a substance that is acted on or used by another substance or process
define activation energy
the energy required to bring about a reaction
what is a competitive inhibitor
an inhibitor that binds to the active site of an enzyme
what is a non-competitive inhibitor
an inhibitor that binds to an enzyme but not at the active site at an allosteric site
