Overview
Enzymes are essential biological catalysts that facilitate chemical reactions in living organisms. Their unique structures allow them to bind specific substrates at their active sites, lowering the activation energy required for reactions to occur. Understanding enzyme structure and function is cruc...
Key Terms
Example: The active site of lactase binds to lactose.
Example: Glucose is a substrate for the enzyme hexokinase.
Example: Zinc is a cofactor for some enzymes.
Example: Michaelis-Menten kinetics describes how reaction rates change with substrate concentration.
Example: Penicillin acts as an inhibitor of bacterial enzymes.
Example: Enzymes lower the activation energy needed for reactions.
Related Topics
Protein Structure
Understanding how proteins are structured helps in grasping enzyme function.
intermediateMetabolism
Metabolism involves all chemical reactions in the body, many of which are enzyme-catalyzed.
intermediateBiotechnology
Biotechnology often utilizes enzymes for various applications, including genetic engineering.
advancedKey Concepts
Active SiteSubstrate SpecificityEnzyme KineticsCofactors