Enzymes Introduction

Enzymes are protein molecules, which act as a BIOLOGICAL CATALYST. A catalyst is something that speeds a chemical reaction but at the end of the reaction the catalyst remains unchanged Enzyme molecules have a region called the ACTIVE SITE to which another molecule can bind. The molecule that binds to this active site is termed a SUBSTRATE. Once the substrate has bound to the active site the combined structure is called the ENZYMESUBSTRATE COMPLEX. The new molecules when released are called PRODUCTS.

Enzymes

Models of Enzyme-Based Reactions

In this lock-and-key model, the substrate fits into the active site of the enzyme, where the reaction to split the substrate occurs

In this induced-fit reaction, the enzyme folds around the substrate, readying it for a chemical reaction

The Enzyme-Substrate Complex

How do substrates know to bond to a specific enzyme? All enzymes contain at least one active site

Active Site the location on the enzyme where the substrate bonds to the enzyme
-- substrates have a surface region that is complimentary in either size, shape, solubility or charge to the active site for that enzyme -- known as the lock and key model Lock and Key Model idea that only one type of substrate can fit into the active site of a specific enzyme

The Energy Diagram

Reactants (glucose)

E N E R G Y

Activation Energy

(Energy Required to Start Reaction)

Energy released by reaction

H2O and

CO2 (products)

Forward Reaction

The Energy Diagram with Enzymes

Reactants (glucose)

E N E R G Y

Activation Energy

(Energy Required to Start Reaction)

Activation Energy Required with Enzyme

Energy released by reaction

KEY
no enzymes H2O and enzymes

CO2 (products)

Forward Reaction

The Role of Enzymes in Reactions

Now that we know what enzymes do for chemical reactions, lets look at the four important properties of enzymes within reactions:

1. Enzymes do NOT cause reactions to occur.

-- reactions would occur with or without the enzyme. The reaction just occurs faster with the enzyme 2. Enzymes are NOT altered in a reaction. -- chemical reactions do not change the shape of the enzyme. The enzyme will look and behave exactly the same before and after participating in a reaction. -- This also means that enzymes are NOT used up in a reaction. The same enzyme can catalyze millions of reactions.

Role of Enzymes in Reactions (contd.)

3. -- there is one specific enzyme for each specific reaction in the cell -- enzymes have shapes and bonding arrangement that only allow it to bond to specific substrates

How Do Enzymes Lower Activation Energy?

Enzymes make it energetically more favorable for a reaction to occur than the rest of the cellular environment. The enzyme interacts with the substrate making it more likely to react.

Factors Affecting Rate of Enzyme Action

How quickly an enzyme will make a reaction progress is determined by many factors. The three that we will look at include: -- substrate concentration -- temperature -- pH

Substrate Concentration
The greater the concentration of substrate, the faster the reaction will progress

More substrate

better chance of collisions

more reactions

Increasing the concentration of substrates beyond a certain point DOES NOT increase the rate of the reaction, because there are only a specific number of enzymes and therefore a specific number of active sites

Temperature
At first, an increase in temperature causes more substrates to collide with the active sites, increasing enzyme activity, and increasing the reaction rate.

Enzymes are proteins, however, so once the temperature gets too high, the enzymes denature and are no longer able to catalyze a reaction. What is Denature?
Decreasing the temperature slows the speed of the substrates, resulting in decreased collisions, and decreasing the reaction rate.

pH and Enzymes
Each specific enzyme has a very narrow range of pH within which it works properly. Increasing or decreasing pH will denature the protein and slow the reaction rate

Use of Lactase
Lactose is a disaccharide (glucose + Galactose) milk sugar The frequency of decreased lactase activity ranges from 5% in northern Europe to more than 90% in some African and Asian countries.People who are lactose intolerant can drink milk if it is lactose free. Lactase is an enzyme extracted from yeast that can digest the milk sugar to glucose and galactose.

Uses of lactase
1. For lactose intolerant people who cant drink or eat milk containing products 2. Galac and glu are sweeter than lactose so less sugar needs to be added to sweeten milk containing foods e.g. yoghurt 3. Lactose crystallizes during production of ice cream Glu and galac are more soluble 4. Bacteria ferment Glu and Galac more quickly so yoghurt and sour cream production is quicker

EXAM QUESTIONS
1. Explain the effects of temperature, pH and substrate concentration on enzyme activity. (Total 8 marks) 2. Outline enzyme-substrate specificity. (Total 5 marks)

EXAM QS ANSWERS
enzymes have an active site; that fits the substrate precisely; changes in the chemical environment of the enzyme can lead to a shape/conformational change in the protein; leading to a change in the shape of the active site; may interfere with the binding of the substrate with the active site; altering pH can alter intermolecular interactions within the protein; or within the active site; enzymes have an optimum pH;

EXAM QS ANSWERS
increase in temperature can increase molecular motion leading to disruption of intermolecular interactions; increases chance of enzyme substrate collisions so enzyme activity increases; optimal temperature; temperature changes / pH changes can denature the protein; the more substrate, the more product / more enzymesubstrate complex forms; after a point, all active sites are bound to substrate / all active sites occupied; additional substrate will not lead to a greater rate of product formation at this point; 8 max

EXAM QS ANSWERS
active site of enzyme binds to specific substrate; shape of the active site and substrate fit/complement each other; lock and key model; chemical properties of substrate and enzyme attract / opposite charges; enzyme/active site is not rigid and substrate can induce slight changes in shape; allows substrates of similar structure to bind with same enzyme; induced fit; causes weakening of bonds in substrate to lower activation energy; [5]