(NOTE: This will contain important information for lab practicals - as you will be measuring the effect of enzyme inhibitors for one or more of your practical assessments - depending on your chosen degree pathway).
If you're studying a life science (e.g. - biomed, bioscience, physiology, sports ...
Enzymes and Enzyme kinetics 07/10/19
An enzyme is a biological catalyst that speeds up the rates of a reaction without being used up in
the process.
Enzymes lower free energy barrier that separates reactants and products (lowers the activation
energy (EA) by offering an alternative route).
Enzymes are macromolecules
Characteristics:
- Organic molecules (proteins/RNAs) speeding up reactions by up to 1012-fold
- Highly specific (due to 3° structure of active site) so act on only 1 type of substrate
- Unaffected by the reaction they catalyse
- Can catalyse the same reaction in the opposite direction
- Said activity can be regulated
- Enzymes are like spanners – they can tighten a nut on a screw or can loosen it, and the
spanner (enzyme) is unchanged
Due to how specific active site is, E-S complex is determined by:
- Geometric complementarity – Active site and Substrate must be of complimentary shape
- Electronic complementarity – Active site must have complimentary electrostatic surface
potentials to substrate
- Non-covalent forces – (Weak) Van der Waals, electrostatic, H+ bonding, hydrophobic
interactions
Lock and Key model is no longer accepted
Induced fit model is where the enzymes active site’s geometry/shape changes slightly, to
accommodate substrate
When the substrate enters the active site, weak bonds formed between substrate and active site
initiates changing of enzyme shape
The rate of a chemical reaction is:
The [Product] that is formed in a unit of time or the [Substrate] that is consumed in a unit of time
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller jaz2. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £8.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
