Enzyme+Action

Enzymes, read the info at http://www.chem4kids.com/files/bio_enzymes.html

We know what they do......each enzyme controls one step on a metabolic pathway.like the steps in cellular respiration or photosynthesis or making your skin brown by producing melanin in skin cells.

We know that their structure is determined by the genes that control the protein synthesis that makes the proteins, because enzymes are proteins. If you don't have an allele for melanin production you won't get brown colour. If you don't have the right enzymes in your chloroplast you won't be able to do photosynthesis (if you were a plant)

Do the Chem4kids Quiz on Enzymes as well.

How do Enzymes change the substrate? There are two theories - Lock and Key or Induced Fit:

According to lock and key model both the enzymes and the substrate possess specific geometrical shapes that fit exactly into one another.

WHILE

According to the induced fit model enzymes are more flexible structures and their active site is reshaped as substrate interacts with the enzymes.

The first picture shows the Lock and Key Theory. The substrate shape matches the active site of the enzyme, the reaction occurs,the substrate is changed, the product is formed, the enzyme is not changed . (http://biochemikages005.wordpress.com/tag/induced-fit-hypothesis/)

This diagram shows the Induced Fit Theory, where the substrate changes the shape of the active site when it is present. The product will form and the enzyme will be unchanged during the reaction.

These simple diagrams make sense, but scientists are still working on the structure of most enzymes and their specific active site. This diagram shows an image of one such enzyme being researched at the moment. it is going to be hard to tell where the active site is, let alone tell how it is changed during a reaction!

There are five factors that affect the rate of activity of an enzyme - hint they are the same as for most chemical reactions. What factors can you remember ?

=Concentration of the Enzyme=

== = = =Concentration of the Substrate=

= = = = =pH of the environment=

=Inhibitors= = = = = =Temperature of the environment= = = = = = = = = = = =Try to draw your own cute diagram to help you remember five things, maybe a flower or a hand or a bird or anything with five bits sticking out.......= = =

You could go to these In depth notes to help you answer the question "For each factor: describe how the enzyme is affected".
http://alevelnotes.com/Factors-affecting-Enzyme-Activity/146

And finally
What does this picture show about the action of an inhibitor? What sort of chemicals could act as inhibitors?