Biology Assignment

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Charlotte Johnson                HOD

Biology Assignment

Enzymes

  • Enzymes are globular proteins that act as biological catalysts.
  • They speed up chemical reactions that would otherwise occur very slowly at the temperature within cells.
  • The precise three-dimensional enzyme has a depression on its surface called the active site. This site may be a relatively small part of the large protein.
  • Only a few amino acids may be directly involved in the active site, with the remainder of the molecule maintaining the three dimensional shape of the protein molecule.
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Lock and Key theory

  • Either a single molecule with a complementary shape, or more than one molecule that together have a complementary site can fit into the active site.
  • These substrate molecules form temporary bonds with the amino acids of the active site to produce an enzyme substrate complex.
  • The enzyme holds the substrate molecules in such a way that they react more easily.
  • When the reaction has taken place the products are released, leaving the enzyme unchanged.
  • The substrate is often likened to a key, which fits into the enzyme ...

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