Enzyme structure and specificity

• What are enzymes?

  Special proteins that speed up reactions
• What is the role of catalysts in chemical reactions?

  • Accelerate reactions
  • Not consumed in the reaction
  • Essential for various biological processes
• What do enzymes act as in biological systems?

  Biological catalysts
• How does the enzyme amylase function in the body?

  It breaks down starches in saliva
• What would happen without enzymes in the body?

  Reactions would take much longer or not occur
• What color are the beta strands in the image?

  Green
• What do the green beta strands in the image indicate?

  The direction from N to C
• Why are enzymes important in biological systems?

  They help digest food and build molecules
• What is the importance of enzymes in biological systems?

  Essential for digestion, molecule synthesis, life
• How do the functions of alpha helices and beta strands differ in protein structure?

  Alpha helices provide stability, while beta strands allow for directionality
• What are the main components of protein secondary structure?

  • Alpha helices
  • Beta strands
  • Loops and turns
• How can the secondary structure of a protein be visualized and analyzed?

  • Using ribbon diagrams like the one shown
  • Identifying alpha helices, beta strands, and loops/turns
  • Analyzing the directionality and connectivity of the structural elements
• What are the red structures in the image called?

  Alpha helices
• What are the components of the secondary structure of enzymes?

  • Red alpha helices (spiral sections)
  • Green beta strands (folded sheets)
  • Grey loops (flexible regions)
• What do the grey structures in the image represent?

  Loops and turns
• What do the yellow ball and stick structures in the image indicate?

  Bound molecules
• Where does the bound molecule typically interact in an enzyme?

  At the active site
• What role do enzymes play in biological processes?

  They act as biological catalysts
• What is the name of the structure on the left side of the image?

  Substrate
• What is the name of the structure on the right side of the image?

  Enzyme-substrate complex
• How does the enzyme-substrate complex lead to the conversion of the substrate into a product?

  • The enzyme binds to the substrate at the active site
  • This brings the substrate into the correct orientation and position
  • The enzyme then catalyzes the chemical reaction, converting the substrate into a product
  • The product is then released, and the enzyme is free to bind to another substrate
• What are enzymes primarily composed of?

  Proteins
• What is the relationship between the enzyme and the substrate shown in the image?

  The enzyme binds to the substrate to form the enzyme-substrate complex
• What forms when a substrate binds to the active site?

  An enzyme-substrate complex
• What does the yellow ball & stick represent in enzyme structure?

  A bound molecule
• What is the role of the active site in enzyme activity?

  It enables catalysis of specific reactions
• What is the name of the structure shown on the left side of the image?

  Substrate
• How is the active site compared to a lock and key?

  It matches only one specific substrate
• What insights can ribbon diagrams provide about protein structure and function?

  • Reveal the overall 3D folding pattern
  • Highlight key structural motifs like alpha helices and beta sheets
  • Indicate the directionality and connectivity of the polypeptide chain
  • Suggest potential binding sites or functional domains
• What is the active site of an enzyme?

  A specialized pocket where substrate binds
• Why is the structure of enzymes crucial?

  It is essential for their function as catalysts
• What does the lock and key model explain?

  Enzyme specificity
• Why is the shape of the active site important?

  It ensures specificity for the substrate
• What happens to the enzyme after catalyzing a reaction?

  It releases the products
• What is the role of the substrate in the lock and key model?

  It binds to the enzyme's active site
• What must match for the enzyme-substrate complex to form?

  Their shapes must be complementary
• What is the name of the structure shown on the right side of the image?

  Enzyme-Substrate Complex
• What is the name of the complex formed between the enzyme and the substrate?

  Enzyme-substrate complex
• How does the enzyme-substrate complex facilitate the reaction?

  • The enzyme lowers the activation energy required for the reaction.
  • This allows the reaction to occur more easily and quickly.
• What is the relationship between the enzyme and the substrate in the image?

  • The enzyme (yellow shape) binds to the substrate (green shape) to form an enzyme-substrate complex.
  • This allows the enzyme to catalyze a reaction on the substrate.