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Paper 1
Organisation
Enzymes
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What are Enzymes
Enzymes are
biological catalysts
They speed up
chemical reactions
in a
living organism
Properties of Enzymes
Enzymes are
large protein molecules
They have a groove on their surface called the active site (This can also be defined as a space within the protein molecule)
Enzymes work best at a specific temperature and pH called the
optimum
The active site is where the
substrate
attaches to
Lock and Key Theory and key terms
The Lock and Key Theory is a model used to explain how
enzymes
work
The chemical that reacts is called the
substrate
(key) and it fits into the enzyme’s
active site
(lock)
What happens when the substrate cannot fit into the enzyme
When a substrate does not fit into the active site , the enzyme cannot
break down
the substrate
Enzymes are
specific
- The substrate must
fit perfectly
into the active site (The Lock and Key Theory)
Denaturing
High
temperature
and extremes of
pH
make enzymes change
shape
- This is called denaturing
The enzyme cannot work once it has been
denatured
because the substrate cannot fit into the
active site
(The lock and key no longer fit together)