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2.5 Enzymes
2.5 Enzymes
2.5 Enzymes
5 Enzymes
Enzymes’ specificity
Enzymes:
Active site: It is the region on an enzyme to which the specific substrate binds
- A specific substrate fits the active site; the shape of the substrate corresponds to
the shape of the active site.
- The bonds in the substrate (s) are weakened making a reaction easier.
- The unchanged enzyme and product(s) are released.
- The enzyme is to be reused.
The enzyme-substrate complex can be compared to a lock and key, where the enzyme is the
lock and the substrate is the key.
- A specific substrate fits the active site; the shape of the substrate corresponds to
the shape of the active site.
- The bonds in the substrate (s) are weakened making a reaction easier.
- The unchanged enzyme and product(s) are released.
- The enzyme is to be reused.
1
The induced-fit model
This weakens the bonds in the substrate and therefore reduces the activation
energy.
This model is a more precise version of the lock and key one as it explains why some
enzymes can bind to many different substrates. That is why some enzymes can have
broad specificity.
2
Note:
3
(a) As the substrate concentration increases, the
more collisions between the substrate and
(b) enzyme. This will increase the rate of reaction.
Lactase
Lactose + water glucose + galactose
Lactose:
sugar of milk
a disaccharide
can’t be absorbed by the gut.
Lactase is the enzyme that hydrolyses lactose into the monosaccharides glucose and
galactose are easily absorbed by the gut.
Lactose intolerance:
Many adults lack the enzyme lactase and so cannot break down lactose leading to
lactose intolerance; as people get older, they lose their ability to produce lactase. Milk
and milk products enter the digestive tract and are not digested; instead bacteria in the
large intestine feed directly on lactose resulting in nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea,
cramps and excessive gas.
- Milk and milk products can be treated with lactase before consumption.
- Lactase can be obtained from fungi.
- Lactose-free milk can be made in two ways:
1. adding lactase directly to the milk so that the milk contains the enzyme.
2. immobilizing the enzyme in alginate beads and carry out experiments in which
the lactose in milk is hydrolysed. Immobilized enzymes are widely used in
industry.
4
Advantages for producing lactose-free milk:
Practical 3:
Experimental investigation of
a factor affecting enzyme
activity.