Enzymes

• What are enzymes made up of?

  Large proteins made of long chains of amino acids
• What is the primary function of enzymes?

  To speed up reactions that are naturally slow
• Why is it preferable for enzymes to speed up reactions instead of increasing temperature?

  Because increasing temperature can damage cells and requires a lot of energy
• What is a catalyst?

  A substance that increases the speed of a reaction without being changed or used up
• What is a reactant?

  A substance that undergoes a chemical reaction
• What is a substrate?

  A reactant that an enzyme acts upon
• What does the term "active site" refer to in enzymes?

  The specific region where the substrate binds to the enzyme
• What is the significance of the "lock and key" model in enzyme activity?

  It illustrates that the substrate must fit perfectly into the active site
• What happens if the substrate does not fit into the active site?

  The reaction will not be catalyzed
• What is meant by "complementary" in the context of enzymes and substrates?

  It means the active site is shaped to fit the substrate
• What is the optimum pH for enzymes?

  Enzymes have an optimum pH at which they function best
• What is the "induced fit model" of enzyme action?

  The enzyme changes shape slightly when it binds to the substrate
• What effect do high temperatures have on enzymes?

  High temperatures can break bonds holding enzymes together
• What happens to the active site of an enzyme at high temperatures?

  The active site changes shape, affecting enzyme function
• The active site of an enzyme has a specific shape that fits only one type of molecule, called the substrate.
• In this complex, the substrate undergoes chemical change (catalysis) and becomes a product.
• Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up reactions without being used up or changed themselves.
• What are the three types of stem cells mentioned?

  Embryonic, Adult, and Meristem