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    Enzymes Form 3

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    Ralph Muchingami
    Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in living things. They have specific 3D structures with active sites that substrates fit into like locks and keys. Enzymes speed up reactions without being used up themselves. One example is the enzyme catalase, which breaks down toxic hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Enzymes work optimally within certain temperature, pH, and substrate concentration ranges. Outside of these ranges, the enzymes may become denatured and unable to catalyze reactions.

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    Enzymes Form 3

    Uploaded by

    Ralph Muchingami
    164 views4 pages
    Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in living things. They have specific 3D structures with active sites that substrates fit into like locks and keys. Enzymes speed up reactions without being used up themselves. One example is the enzyme catalase, which breaks down toxic hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Enzymes work optimally within certain temperature, pH, and substrate concentration ranges. Outside of these ranges, the enzymes may become denatured and unable to catalyze reactions.

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    4. Enzymes Form 3

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    Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in living things. They have specific 3D structures with active sites that substrates fit into like locks and keys. Enzymes speed up reactions without being used up themselves. One example is the enzyme catalase, which breaks down toxic hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Enzymes work optimally within certain temperature, pH, and substrate concentration ranges. Outside of these ranges, the enzymes may become denatured and unable to catalyze reactions.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    164 views4 pages

    Enzymes Form 3

    Uploaded by

    Ralph Muchingami
    Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in living things. They have specific 3D structures with active sites that substrates fit into like locks and keys. Enzymes speed up reactions without being used up themselves. One example is the enzyme catalase, which breaks down toxic hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Enzymes work optimally within certain temperature, pH, and substrate concentration ranges. Outside of these ranges, the enzymes may become denatured and unable to catalyze reactions.

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    of 4

    MR C GAVI PURE BIOLOGY 2021 FORM 3 ENZYMES

    NATURE AND PROPERTIES OF ENZYMES

    What are Enzymes?

    Enzymes are proteins made up of long chains of amino acids. They control chemical reactions that take
    place in all living things such as digestion, respiration and photosynthesis. They are known as biological
    catalysts as they speed up chemical reactions allowing them to occur at a faster rate. During this process,
    however the enzymes themselves do not get used up and so can continue catalyzing the reaction.

    Each enzyme has its own specific 3-dimensional structure and is folded into a unique shape which allows
    other molecules to fit into it.

    The area where these molecules fit into is known as the enzyme’s active site.

    The molecules which fit into the active site are knows as the substrate.

    The enzyme and the substrate fit together using a lock and key mechanism.

    ACTION OF ENZYMES

    Enzymes work by intervening in chemical reactions by locking onto the substrate at their
    active site and speeding up the reaction. Enzymes can work in different ways, some enzymes
    help to break down large molecules into smaller ones (catabolic reaction), others build up
    large molecules from smaller ones (anabolic reaction), whilst there are some that help change
    one molecule into another.
    MR C GAVI PURE BIOLOGY 2021 FORM 3 ENZYMES

    One of the fastest enzymes knows is catalase. Catalase is found in many living cells and breaks
    down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is often formed as a
    product of reactions in cells, and can be poisonous if it builds up it is the job of catalase to
    remove the harmful hydrogen peroxide

    The substrate (hydrogen peroxide) and the enzyme (catalase) are continuously on the move.
    Every so often they collide so that the substrate molecule fits into the enzyme’s active site.
    Once in the active site the reaction takes place between the substrate and enzyme, the
    substrate is broken down into the two products (water and oxygen). When the required
    product has been produced, the enzyme releases itself and moves on. The enzyme is not used
    up in the reaction and so is ready to work again! No matter what job an enzyme does it will
    work in this similar way.

    PROPERTIES OF ENZYMES

    1. Enzymes are protein in nature.


    2. Enzymes are specific. Maltase digests only maltose, Amylase digests only starch,
    protease digests proteins only.
    3. Enzymes are used over and over again but eventually they breakdown and they
    require to replaced.
    4. Enzymes are affected by temperature; they work best in a narrow temperature range
    (optimum temperature).
    5. Enzymes are sensitive to pH

    OPTIMUM CONDITIONS FOR ENZYMES

    Enzymes are sensitive and work best under specific conditions. Enzyme activity is affected by
    several things and each type of enzyme has its own specific optimum conditions under which
    it works best.
    MR C GAVI PURE BIOLOGY 2021 FORM 3 ENZYMES

    1. Substrate concentration

    Enzymes work best when there is a high enough substrate concentration for the reaction
    they catalyse. If too little substrate is available the rate of the reaction is slowed and cannot
    increase any further.

    Sometimes, if there is too much product accumulating, the reaction can also be slowed
    down. Therefore it is important that the product is removed regularly.

    2. Temperature

    Enzymes are affected a great deal by temperature. If the temperature is too cold the enzymes
    move around too slowly to meet the substrate and for a reaction to occur, the enzymes are
    inactivated. As the temperature increases though, so does the rate of reaction. This is because
    heat energy causes more collisions between the enzyme and the substrate. However, as you
    will remember all enzymes are proteins and at too high temperatures the proteins break
    down. The active site of the enzyme becomes distorted and so the substrate no longer fits
    and hence the reaction does not occur. We say that the enzyme has been denatured.
    MR C GAVI PURE BIOLOGY 2021 FORM 3 ENZYMES

    3. pH

    The pH must be correct for each enzyme to work at its best. Different enzymes work best at
    different pH values. The optimum pH for an enzyme depends on its site of action. For
    example, enzymes in the stomach have an optimum pH of about 2 because the stomach is
    acidic, but intestinal enzymes have an optimum pH of about 7.5. If conditions are too alkaline
    or acidic for that particular enzyme, then its activity is affected. This occurs because the
    enzyme’s shape, especially the active site, is changed so can no longer bind to the substrate
    molecule. We say that the enzyme is denatured.

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