Enzymes Structure

What are enzymes?

Enzymes are proteins that lower the activation energy of a reaction. They are not consumed in a reaction and usually end with -ase. For example, Amylase, Sucrase and Chitinase. 

Enzyme Structure

Enzymes provide an active site for substrates to bind to it. Through its functions the enzyme opens its active site, where the substrate will then bind. During this the enzymes will change the shape of their active site to better fit the substrate. This will create an enzyme-substrate complex where substrate will bind to the active site. Then, the substrate is converted into products and then released. 

Enzyme Catabolism and Enzyme Anabolism

Enzyme catabolism refers to the enzyme assisting in the catabolic reaction of molecules, in other words to break complicated molecules into similar ones. Enzyme Anabolism refers to the building of complicated molecules. 

Factors that affect enzymes

Temperature= at a specific temperature the effectiveness of enzymes will be the best due to the increase of collisions between molecules. However, past a certain temperature the enzyme will denature.

pH= at a specific pH it will provide the optimal condition for the enzyme’s function. However past a certain pH range the enzyme’s hydrogen bonds will break changing the shape of the enzyme, therefore affecting its function.