Enzyme structure and function

• What are enzymes?


  • Enzymes are biological catalysts- speed up the rate of chemical reactions happening inside our bodies without being used up so can be reused
  • They do this by lowering the activation energy
• What is the activation energy?

  The minimum amount of energy needed for a reaction to happen
• How does lowering the activation energy affect reactions?

  If less energy is needed, reactions can take place at lower temperatures than without enzymes
• What if our bodies had no enzymes?

  Without enzymes the reactions that take place inside of us would not be possible at normal body temperature
• What are the two types of enzymes?

  • Enzymes can either be intracellular which catalyses reactions outside of the cells e.g RNA polymerase
  • Or enzymes can be extracellular which are produced by the cells and catalyses reactions outside of the cells e.g. amylase
  • Other enzymes may have regulatory regions where an inhibitor can bind which is referred to as the allosteric site