Metabolism and Enzymes

 
We will learn about metabolism, enzymes, and the application of enzymes in daily life.
 

5.1 Metabolism
 
 Metablolism refers to all chemical reactions that occur in a living organism.
 There are two types of metabolism in a cell which are catabolism and anabolism.

 
Catabolism Anab
 The process of breaking down complex substances into simple
 The process of synthesisin
substances.
simple molecules.
 Releases energy.
 Uses or absorbs energy.
 Example: The breakdown of glucose during cellular respiration to
 Example: The formation o
generate energy.

5.2 Enzymes
 
 An enzyme is an organic catalyst that is mostly made up of proteins and is produced by living cell org
 Substances needed for an enzyme reaction are called substrates.
 Substrates will bind with enzymes at a specific site (active site) and form an enzyme-substrate comp

 
Enzyme nomenclature:
 
 Name of enzyme is derived by adding '-ase' to the name of the substrate it catalyses.
 Example: lactase, protease, and amylase.
 A few enzymes that do not follow this naming system.
 Example: trypsin, pepsin and renin

 
General characteristics of enzymes:
 
 Enzymes are needed in small amount.
 Enzymes are not breaking down at the end of the reaction.
 Action of enzymes are specific due to presence of active sites.
 Most of chemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes are reversible.
 Enzymes are sensitive to temperature and pH.
 Some enzymes require cofactors in their activities.
 Enzymes activities can be slowed or stopped by inhibitors such as lead.
Intracellular and extracellular enzymes:
Intracellular enzymes
 Enzymes are synthesized in a cell for their own use.
 Example: The hexokinase enzyme is used in the
glycolysis process during cellular respiration.
Extracellular enz
 Enzymes that are secreted outside the c
 Example: The trypsin enzyme is produ
secreted into the duodenum to break do

 
Extracellular action:

 In the nucleus, the information for the synthesis of enzymes is carried by the DNA in a form of codes.
 mRNA is formed to translate the codes into a sequence.
 mRNA leaves the nucleus and binds with ribosome for the synthesis of protein to occur.
 The synthesized protein is transported enters the lumen of the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
 The protein is processed and packaged into a transport vesicle which buds off from the rough endopla
protein to the Golgi apparatus
 In Golgi apparatus, the protein is modified to form an enzyme and is packaged in a secretory vesicle w
the plasma membrane.
 The secretory vesicle will fuse with the plasma membrane to release the enzymes out of the cell.

 
 
Mechanism of enzyme action:
 
 The enzyme represented by a 'lock'
 The substrate represented by a 'key'
 Most reactions inside the cell require high activation energy.
 Activation energy is the energy needed to break the bond in the substrate molecule before reaction ca
 Enzyme function by lowering the activation energy.

 
Factors affecting the activity of enzymes:
 
Factor affecting the activity of enzymes
 Temperature

 Enzyme concentration (limiting factor: substrate concentration)

 Substrate concentration (limiting factor: enzyme concentration)

 pH

 
Temperature:
 
  At low temperature, the rate of enzymatic reaction is low.
 The rate of enzyme reaction increases as the temperature increases.
 This is because of the activation energy of the substrate molecules increases.
 Therefore, more collision between the enzymes substrate molecule increases the formation of an enzy
 The reaction is the maximum at the optimum temperature.
 After the optimum temperature, the rate of reaction decreases because the enzyme is denatured in whi
structure of the enzyme are changed.
 This causes the active site to lose its shape.
 Therefore, the enzyme-substrate complex can no longer be formed.

 
pH:
 
 Optimum pH is the pH at which the rate of reaction is at the maximum.
 Small changes in the pH value of a medium will cause the enzyme to be denatured.
 The shape of the active site will change.
 Therefore, the enzyme-substrate complex cannot be formed again.
 Different enzymes have different optimum pH:
o The optimum pH of pepsin is pH 2
o The optimum pH of amylase is pH 7
o The optimum pH of trypsin is ph 8.5

 
Substrate concentration:
 
 The higher the concentration of substrate, the higher the rate of reaction as more substrate molecules b
enzymes to form the enzyme-substrate complex.
 The rate of reaction becomes low when it reaches the maximum point because all of the active sites ha
 At this point, the enzyme concentration is the limiting factor.

 
Enzyme concentration:
 
 The higher the concentration of enzymes, the higher the rate of reaction as more active sites for substr
the enzyme-substrate complex.
 The rate of reaction becomes low when it reaches the maximum point because all substrate molecules
 At this point, the substrate concentration is the limiting factor.

5.3 Applications of Enzymes in Daily Life

 
 Immobilized enzymes are enzymes that combine with inert and insoluble substances to increase the r
change in factors such as pH and temperature.
 The enzyme molecules will remain in the same position throughout the catalytic reaction and then be
 
Enzyme immobilization technology is used in various industrial application:
 
 Digestive enzymes are used in the medical sector.
 Amylase, lipase, protease, and cellulase in bio detergent.
 Trypsin enzyme extracts fur from an animal hide to make leather products.
 Lactase enzymes are used in lactose-free milk.