Enzymes

Front

What is the role of enzymes in biological reactions?

Back

Enzymes act as catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in biological systems without being consumed in the process.

Front

Define substrate in the context of enzyme activity.

Back

A substrate is the specific reactant that an enzyme acts upon during a chemical reaction.

Front

What is the active site of an enzyme?

Back

The active site is the region on the enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction occurs.

Front

What does it mean for an enzyme to be denatured?

Back

Denaturation refers to the alteration of an enzyme's structure, rendering it inactive, often due to extreme temperature or pH.

Front

How does temperature affect enzyme activity?

Back

Enzyme activity typically increases with temperature up to a certain point, after which high temperatures can denature the enzyme.

Front

What is the significance of pH in enzyme activity?

Back

Each enzyme has an optimum pH range where it functions best; deviations can reduce activity or denature the enzyme.

Front

What is enzyme specificity?

Back

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

Front

What are cofactors and their role in enzyme function?

Back

Cofactors are non-protein molecules that assist enzymes in catalyzing reactions, often by stabilizing the enzyme-substrate complex.

Front

What is the difference between competitive and non-competitive inhibition?

Back

Competitive inhibition occurs when an inhibitor competes with the substrate for the active site, while non-competitive inhibition occurs when an inhibitor binds to a different site, altering enzyme function.

Front

How do enzymes lower the activation energy of a reaction?

Back

Enzymes lower activation energy by stabilizing the transition state and providing an alternative reaction pathway.