Non-competitive inhibition

• what is a non-competitive inhibitor?

  an atom, molecule or ion that reduces the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction at a position other than the active site, altering the shape of the active site and preventing the substrate from successfully binding to it
• where do non-competitive inhibitors bind to on the enzyme?

  at an ‘allosteric site’ (i.e. a site other than the active site), so they dont compete with the substrate
• how do non-competitive inhibitors affect the enzyme?

  • they affect bonds within the enzyme molecule and alter its overall shape, including that of the active site
  • the substrate can’t bind with the active site, and no enzyme-substrate complexes form
• what happens if the inhibitor concentration increases?

  as it increases, the rate of reaction and final mass of product decrease
• what are some examples of non-competitive inhibitors?

  heavy metals(e.g. lead, Pb2+ and arsenic, As3+)
• how do non-competitive inhibitors bind with competitive inhibitors?

  some bind reversibly and some irreversibly
• what is this a diagram of?

  non-competitive inhibition