Enzymes
Catalysts:
● A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without
itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.
● It provides an alternative pathway for the reaction with lower activation energy.
● Catalysts remain unchanged in quantity and chemical composition at the end of
the reaction.
● Enzymes:
○ Enzymes are biological catalysts, mostly proteins, that speed up chemical
reactions in living organisms.
○ They are involved in all metabolic reactions within cells.
○ Enzymes are highly specific in their action, catalyzing only one type of
reaction or a group of closely related reactions.
● Enzyme Action:
○ Enzymes act on specific molecules called substrates.
○ The region of the enzyme where the substrate binds is called the active
site.
○ When the substrate binds to the active site, it forms an enzyme-substrate
complex.
○ The enzyme catalyzes the conversion of the substrate into product(s).
● Specificity of Enzymes:
○ Enzymes exhibit specificity due to the complementary shape and fit of the
active site with the substrate.
○ This is often described using the 'lock and key' hypothesis, where the
substrate (key) fits into the active site (lock) of the enzyme with precision.
1. Measuring Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions:
● The progress of enzyme-catalyzed reactions can be monitored by
measuring the concentrations of reactants and products over time.
● Reactant concentrations typically decrease, while product concentrations
increase as the reaction proceeds.
●
2. Effects of Temperature and pH on Enzyme Activity:
● Temperature and pH are critical factors that influence enzyme activity.
● Temperature: Enzymes have an optimal temperature at which they
function most effectively. Below this temperature, the rate of
enzyme-catalyzed reactions decreases due to slower molecular
movement. Above the optimal temperature, enzymes denature, losing their
shape and function.
● pH: Enzymes also have an optimal pH at which they exhibit maximum
activity. Deviations from this pH can disrupt the enzyme's active site
structure, affecting substrate binding and catalysis.
Effect of Temperature and pH on Enzyme Activity:
● Kinetic Energy: Increasing temperature increases the kinetic energy of
molecules, including enzymes and substrates, leading to more frequent
collisions and faster reaction rates until the enzyme denatures.
● Shape and Fit: Changes in temperature and pH can alter the enzyme's
shape and the shape of its active site, affecting substrate binding and
catalysis.
● Denaturation: High temperatures or extreme pH levels can disrupt the
bonds maintaining the enzyme's tertiary structure, leading to denaturation
and loss of enzymatic activity.
● Frequency of Effective Collisions: At the enzyme's optimal temperature
and pH, the frequency of effective collisions between enzyme and
substrate is maximized, leading to the highest reaction rates.
