Enzymes

Enzymes are the biological substance (proteins) that act as CATALYSTS and help complex
reactions occur everywhere in life. A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical
reaction by reducing the amount of energy needed to start that reaction. This is called lowering the
activation energy. ACTIVATION ENERGY can be thought of as a hill that must be gotten over. When
a catalyst acts, it lowers the energy required to get over the HILL and the reaction can proceed. An
enzyme is an organic catalyst meaning that it is a protein that catalyzes reactions in living organisms.
Most reactions in the body require enzymes

LOCKS AND KEYS

A door that is locked needs a key that is just the right shape to fit in that lock. Otherwise you're stuck
in the cold. Enzymes work in a similar way. Enzymes complete very specific jobs and do nothing else.
They are very specific locks and the compounds they work with are the special keys.
Here's the deal... There are four steps in the process of an enzyme working.

(1) An enzyme and a SUBSTRATE are in the same area. The substrate is the biological molecule
that the enzyme will work on.

(2) The enzyme grabs onto the substrate with a special area called the ACTIVE SITE. The active site
is a specially shaped area of the enzyme that fits around the substrate. The active site is the keyhole
of the lock.

(3) A process called CATALYSIS happens. Catalysis is when the substrate is changed. It could be
broken down or combined with another molecule to make something new.

(4) The enzyme lets go. Big idea - When the enzyme lets go, it returns to normal, ready to do another
reaction. The substrate is no longer the same. The substrate is now called the PRODUCT or products

ENZYME CONTROLS
Enzymes sometimes need to be controlled when done with their function. Other times they are
controlled because of poisons. DENATURING occurs when the control changes the enzymes shape

(1) TEMPERATURE:
Proteins change shape (denature) as temperatures change. Because so much of an enzyme's activity
is based on its shape, temperature changes can mess up the process and the enzyme won't work.

(2) ACTIVATORS:
Sometimes you need an enzyme to work faster and your body creates an activator. Other times you
might eat something that acts as an activator. Activators make enzymes work harder and faster.
Activators can help the enzyme bind to the substrate.

(3) pH LEVELS:
In the same way that temperature can change the shape of proteins, the pH of the environment does
the same thing. The proteins denature if too acid or too basic

(4) INHIBITORS:
Inhibitors either slow down or stop the activity of an enzyme. An inhibitor can be a
COMPETETIVE INHIBITOR and block the active site or it can be an ALLOSTERIC INHIBITOR
and bond to another spot causing the shape to change Remember - When the shape changes,
the enzyme will not work the same way. A nasty example of an inhibitor is snake venom or
cyanide.
Name ___________________________________________________ Date ________________

Enzymes Worksheet
1) What is a catalyst? A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction by
reducing the amount of energy needed to start that reaction.

2) What is an enzyme?
Enzymes are the biological substance (proteins) that act as CATALYSTS

3) What is the active site and what is its job? The active site is a specially shaped area of the
enzyme that fits around the substrate.

4) What is a substrate?
The substrate is the biological molecule that the enzyme will work on.

5) What is the product? When the enzyme lets go, it returns to normal, ready to do another
reaction. The substrate is no longer the same. The substrate is now called the product.

6) Explain how an Enzyme works using the terms from questions 1 – 5. Enzymes, as biological
catalysts, speed up reactions by lowering activation energy. They have an active site that fits
the substrate perfectly. The substrate binds to the active site, undergoes a reaction, and is
transformed into a product. The enzyme then releases the product and is ready for the next
reaction.
7) What is denaturing and what causes it to occur? Proteins change shape (denature).
Denaturing occurs when the control changes the enzymes shape

8) What 4 things can affect the way enzymes work? Explain how each thing affects an enzyme.
Temperature- Proteins alter their shape (denature) with temperature fluctuations. Since an
enzyme's function heavily depends on its shape, these temperature shifts can disrupt the
process and render the enzyme ineffective.
PH levels- In the same way that temperature can change the shape of proteins, the pH of the
environment does the same thing. The proteins denature if too acid or too basic
Inhibitors- Inhibitors can either reduce or halt enzyme activity.

9) How can a lock and key be used to describe an enzyme? Just as a locked door requires a key
with the precise shape to unlock it, enzymes function similarly. Enzymes perform highly
specific tasks and nothing else, acting as unique locks with the compounds they interact with
serving as the keys.

10)Why do enzymes generally only bind to one type of substrate?

Enzymes only bind to one type of substrate because their active sites have specific shapes
that match only those substrates, similar to a lock and key.

11)Label the following terms in the following picture

 Enzyme_B__

 Product(s)_D__
  Substrate__A_

 Active site__C_

Graph 1 Graph 2 Graph 3

12)Using graph 1, explain how enzymes work. Include the term activation energy and compare
the two curves, explaining which k is with the enzyme. shows how enzymes reduce the
activation energy of a reaction. The black curve represents the reaction without an enzyme,
where more activation energy is needed. The red curve represents the reaction with an
enzyme, which requires less activation energy, making the reaction faster.

13)Using graph 2, explain how temperature affects enzyme activity. Use the word denature.Graph
2 shows that enzyme activity increases with temperature until it peaks at around 40°C. After
this point, activity sharply declines because the enzymes denature, losing their shape and
function.

14)Using graph 3, explain how pH affects enzyme activity. Relate to temperature effects.
Graph 3 shows that enzyme activity is highest at a pH of around 7. Just like with temperature,
extreme pH levels denature enzymes, altering their shape and making them ineffective. Both
pH and temperature must be optimal for proper enzyme function.