Name ________________________________________ Date _______________ Per _____

Enzymes: Biological Catalysts!

What is a Catalyst?

 A catalyst is a substance that _____________ up the rate of a _________________ ______________,

without __________________ the reaction itself
 Catalysts can be
o Inorganic- ____________
o Organic- ______________
 What are most catalysts? _______________________

Enzyme Facts:

 What is an enzyme?

 Most end in __________

 Enzymes work by lowering what?

o What does this mean?

How Enzymes Work:

 Enzymes act on molecules called

________________________

 They bind to their substrates at the ______________

__________

 Typically, enzymes are ______________ than their

substrates

 Enzymes fit into their substrates like a _________ fits into a _______- it is VERY _______________

 This is called the ________________________________ model of enzyme action

Steps of Enzyme Action:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Induced Fit Model:

 Enzyme is not ______________, and changes _______________ slightly when the substrate enters

 Still ______________________ to one substrate!

Coenzymes:

 Enzyme ______________
 __________ to enzyme and _______ it to fit with
the substrate
 Coenzymes:

 Cofactors:
Factors Affecting Enzyme Action

1. pH and Enzymes:
 Each enzyme has a _______________ pH in which it
will work
 Different enzymes work at __________________ pH
levels
 Pepsin, an enzyme in your _______________, works
best at a pH of _______
o Why?

 Amylase, an enzyme that breaks down _________________________, works best at a pH

of ___________
o Why?

2. Temperature and Enzymes:

a. All enzymes have an ____________________ temperature at which they will work most
effectively
b. Optimal temperature for humans is _______________
c. Optimal temperature for dogs is ______________

What Happens When Temperatures Get Too High?

 Enzymes change ___________

(kind of like melting!)
 When this happens, we say the
enzyme is
____________________
 If the enzyme is not shaped
correctly, it cannot _______ with
its ______________, and can no
longer do its job

Denatured
Protein
 3. Concentration of Enzymes and Substrates:

a. As concentration of both the enzyme and the substrate __________________, the rate of
enzyme action ____________________________________, and then it will ____________
________

Why does this leveling off occur?

 If the concentration of the enzyme

increases, reaction rate will initially
increase. However, as all of the
___________________ is broken down,
the excess _____________ has
________________ to combine with, so
the _______________ _________ levels
off.

 If the concentration of the substrate increases, reaction rate will initially increase.
However, if there are _____ _______________ ________________ to act on the
increasing ___________________, the reaction rate will level off.

Summary Questions:

1. What type of biological molecule is an enzyme considered?

2. Why is enzyme action similar to the action of a key fitting into a lock?

3. What is the difference between a substrate and an active site?

4. Why are changes in pH and temperature critical to the proper functioning of an enzyme?