how enzymes work

• What are enzymes primarily made of?

  Large proteins
• Why are enzymes important for living cells?

  They facilitate numerous chemical reactions quickly
• What is a catalyst?

  A substance that speeds up reactions
• How do catalysts differ from enzymes?

  Enzymes are biological catalysts made by organisms
• What is the definition of a catalyst?

  Increases reaction speed without being used up
• What is the role of the active site in enzymes?

  It binds substrates with a complementary shape
• What happens if a substrate does not fit the active site?

  The reaction will not be catalyzed
• What are the two main models of enzyme action?

  Lock and key model, induced fit model
• How does the lock and key model describe enzyme action?

  Substrates fit perfectly into the active site
• What does the induced fit model suggest about enzyme action?

  Enzymes change shape to fit substrates better
• What is the process of enzyme catalysis?

  • Enzymes bind to substrates at the active site
  • They speed up the conversion of substrates to products
  • Enzymes remain unchanged after the reaction
• Compare the lock and key model with the induced fit model.

  Lock and Key Model:

  • Substrates fit perfectly into the active site

  
  

  Induced Fit Model:

  • Enzymes change shape to accommodate substrates
• What analogy is used to describe the induced fit model?

  Putting your hand into a rubber glove
• What are the benefits of using enzymes as catalysts?

  • Speed up chemical reactions
  • Can be reused multiple times
  • Specific to particular substrates
• What is a substrate in the context of enzymes?

  A reactant that enzymes act upon
• What is the consequence of increasing temperature for chemical reactions?

  It can speed up non-useful reactions
• Why is it unfeasible to increase temperature to speed up reactions in living organisms?

  It requires too much energy and can cause damage
• What are the characteristics of enzymes?

  • Biological catalysts made by living organisms
  • Large proteins made of amino acid chains
  • Specific to particular substrates and reactions