Enzyme Characteristics and Mechanisms
Enzymes are biological catalysts made from proteins that play a crucial role in metabolic processes. They catalyze both anabolic and catabolic reactions, allowing them to occur at lower temperatures than would be possible without enzymes.
Definition: Enzymes are globular proteins that act as biological catalysts, accelerating chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.
Key characteristics of enzymes include:
- They are made from proteins with a specific tertiary structure.
- They can be intracellular actingwithincells or extracellular releasedfromcells.
- They have a narrow functional group and are sensitive to environmental changes.
The mechanism of enzyme action involves:
- Collision between enzyme and substrate
- Formation of an enzyme-substrate complex
- Lowering of activation energy
- Production of products and release of the enzyme
Highlight: The induced fit model explains how enzymes interact with substrates. Initial interaction causes changes in the enzyme's tertiary structure, allowing for a better fit with the substrate.
Vocabulary:
- Activation energy: The initial energy boost needed to kickstart a reaction.
- Enzyme-substrate complex: The temporary structure formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate.
Factors Affecting Enzyme Action:
- Temperature:
Increasing temperature generally increases the rate of reaction up to an optimum point.
Beyond the optimum temperature, enzymes denature due to breaking of bonds.
Example: The temperature coefficient Q10 measures how the rate of reaction increases with a 10°C rise in temperature. For most enzyme-controlled reactions, Q10 is usually taken as 2, meaning the rate doubles with a 10°C rise.
- pH:
Enzymes have a narrow optimal pH range.
Significant pH changes can denature enzymes by altering their tertiary structure.
Quote: "The more H+ ions present, the less R groups are able to interact with each other -> bonds break -> enzyme shape changes."
Understanding these concepts is crucial for answering OCR A Level Biology enzymes exam questions and interpreting experimental results in practical work.