Name _ANSWER KEY________________________ Date _______________ Per _____
Enzymes: Biological Catalysts!
What is a Catalyst?
A catalyst is a substance that __speeds______ up the rate of a __chemical_______________
_reaction_____________, without _entering_________________ the reaction itself
Catalysts can be
o Inorganic- __Heat__________
o Organic- _Enzymes_____________
What are most catalysts? __organic_____________________
Enzyme Facts:
What is an enzyme?
Organic catalyst made of protein
Most end in __ase________
Enzymes work by lowering what?
Activation Energy of a chemical reaction
o What does this mean?
Lowers the amount of energy needed to
start the reaction, so the reaction happens
faster!
How Enzymes Work:
Enzymes act on molecules called
___substrates_____________________
They bind to their substrates at the _active_________
___site_______
Typically, enzymes are _larger_____________ than
their substrates
Enzymes fit into their substrates like a _key_____ fits into a __lock__- it is VERY ___specific____
This is called the __”Lock and Key”_______________________ model of enzyme action
Steps of Enzyme Action:
1. Enzyme joins with its substrate
2. Enzyme and substrate form an enzyme-substrate complex
3. Enzyme action takes place
4. Enzyme and products separate. The enzyme is unchanged and can be reused!
Induced Fit Model:
Enzyme is not ___rigid_____, and changes ___shape______ slightly when the substrate enters
Still ____specific_____________ to one substrate!
Coenzymes:
Enzyme __Helpers____________
__Bind________ to enzyme and __help_____ it to
fit with the substrate
Coenzymes: Organic (Vitamins)
Cofactors: Inorganic (Metal ions like Iron)
Factors Affecting Enzyme Action
1. pH and Enzymes:
Each enzyme has a _specific________ pH in which it
will work
Different enzymes work at __different_______ pH
levels
Pepsin, an enzyme in your ___stomach_____, works
best at a pH of _2______
o Why?
The stomach is very acidic
Amylase, an enzyme found in your
___mouth_____________, works best at a pH of ___6.8________
o Why? Your mouth is neutral!
2. Temperature and Enzymes:
a. All enzymes have an ___optimal______ temperature at which they will work most effectively
b. Optimal temperature for humans is __37_____________
c. Optimal temperature for dogs is ___101-102___________
What Happens When Temperatures Get Too High?
Enzymes change _shape____
(kind of like melting!)
When this happens, we say the
enzyme is
__denatured____________
If the enzyme is not shaped
correctly, it cannot _bind__ with
its ______________, and can no
longer do its job
Denatured
Protein
3. Concentration of Enzymes and Substrates:
a. As concentration of both the enzyme and the substrate _increases__________, the rate of
enzyme action ____increases to a certain point_____________, and then it will __level____
__off______
Why does this leveling off occur?
If the concentration of the enzyme
increases, reaction rate will initially
increase. However, as all of the
___substrate________________ is
broken down, the excess
__enzyme___________ has
___nothing_____________ to
combine with, so the __reaction____
___rate______ levels off.
If the concentration of the substrate increases, reaction rate will initially increase.
However, if there are __not___ __enough______ __enzymes_______ to act on the
increasing _substrate_______, the reaction rate will level off.
Summary Questions:
1. What type of biological molecule is an enzyme considered?
Protein
2. Why is enzyme action similar to the action of a key fitting into a lock?
A key is specific to only one lock (only opens one door), just like an enzyme is specific to only
one substrate
3. What is the difference between a substrate and an active site?
A substrate is the molecule the enzyme acts upon, and the active site is the specific location on
the substrate where the enzyme binds
4. Why are changes in pH and temperature critical to the proper functioning of an enzyme?
They can both cause an enzyme to denature, which means it changes shape. If an enzyme
changes shape it can no longer bind to its substrate.
