AP Biology Enzymes

Front

What are enzymes?

Back

Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts to speed up chemical reactions in living organisms.

Front

Can enzymes be used more than once in a chemical reaction?

Back

Yes, enzymes can be used again and again in chemical reactions.

Front

What is the role of an enzyme inhibitor?

Back

An enzyme inhibitor is a substance that binds to an enzyme and prevents the substrate from binding, thus inhibiting the enzyme's activity.

Front

What is competitive inhibition?

Back

Competitive inhibition occurs when an inhibitor competes with the substrate for binding to the active site of an enzyme.

Front

How can increasing substrate concentration affect enzyme activity?

Back

Increasing substrate concentration can overcome competitive inhibition by providing more substrate molecules to outcompete the inhibitor.

Front

What is the active site of an enzyme?

Back

The active site is the specific region of an enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction occurs.

Front

What factors can affect enzyme activity?

Back

Factors that can affect enzyme activity include temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and the presence of inhibitors or activators.

Front

What is an allosteric site?

Back

An allosteric site is a site on an enzyme other than the active site, where molecules can bind and influence the enzyme's activity.

Front

What is the difference between a competitive and non-competitive inhibitor?

Back

A competitive inhibitor competes with the substrate for the active site, while a non-competitive inhibitor binds to an allosteric site and reduces enzyme activity regardless of substrate concentration.

Front

What is enzyme specificity?

Back

Enzyme specificity refers to the ability of an enzyme to select and catalyze a specific substrate among many possible candidates.