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Enzymes
Enzymes
Biological catalysts
o Reactants = substrates
Substrate binds to enzyme and converted into product
Many enzymes will bind only one group of substrate molecules. Very specific.
Binding takes place on active site of enzyme
o Site is shaped to fit specific substrate
Enzymes change shape as they bind with substrate for tighter fit
o Induced fit
Creates enzyme-substrate complex
Catalysis: lowering of activation energy
Substrate converted to product at active site, product released
o Active site opens and allows more substrate to bind
A single molecule of urease can catalyze the reaction between urea and water at 10,000 rxns per
second
All known enzymes were proteins until recently
Cofactors
Enzyme Regulation
Molecules similar in shape to substrate may bind to active site and prevent enzyme from making
contact with substrate: enzyme is inhibited
o These molecules are called competitive inhibitors
Some inhibitors bind outside the active site
o Noncompetitive inhibitors
o Change shape of enzyme/change the conformation
Any molecule that binds to enzyme outside of active site and affects activity = allosteric
Allosteric activators bind outside active site but increase enzyme’s rxn rate
Production can be governed by feedback inhibition
o Level of product kept constant by feedback system: end product inhibits activity of first
enzyme by binding to allosteric site
When level of end product high: enzymes shut off. When low, enzyme stars