Enzymes Biology STAAR Review

Front

What is an enzyme?

Back

A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in biological processes.

Front

What is the role of Taq polymerase in PCR?

Back

Taq polymerase is an enzyme that synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a DNA template during the polymerase chain reaction.

Front

How does temperature affect enzyme activity?

Back

Enzymes function best at specific temperature ranges; extreme temperatures can denature enzymes, reducing their activity.

Front

What is enzyme specificity?

Back

The ability of an enzyme to select and catalyze a specific substrate among many possible molecules.

Front

What is a substrate in enzymatic reactions?

Back

The reactant molecule that an enzyme acts upon during a chemical reaction.

Front

What is enzyme inhibition?

Back

A process where an inhibitor molecule decreases or stops the activity of an enzyme.

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 the enzyme's function.

Front

What is the function of BACE2 in Alzheimer's disease?

Back

BACE2 is an enzyme that helps break down abnormal protein fragments associated with Alzheimer's, potentially slowing cognitive decline.

Front

What are enzymes made of?

Back

Enzymes are primarily made of proteins, which are composed of long chains of amino acids.

Front

What is the active site of an enzyme?

Back

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