New News Biology #10

How Enzymes Work

Fact: Most chemical reactions are quite slow...

So... To speed up the process, we can increase the temperature.

But here are the catches:

Uses lots of energy

Damages other cells

Speed up unwanted reactions

Catalyst: A substance that increases the speed of a reaction without being changed or used up in the process

The Ultimate Solution: The Enzymes (a type of catalyst)

• made by living organisms

• large proteins

• aka biological catalyst

How an enzyme works:

The active site is a unique shape that makes the enzyme specific

Two models of the enzyme:

Lock & Key: fits perfectly

Induced Fit: changes shape for fit