Question

Enzymes have very specific shapes to perform their function. What part of an enzyme interacts with a substrate so the enzyme can catalyze a reaction?

Answer 1

Answer:-

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being a reactant is called a catalyst. The catalysts for biochemical reactions that happen in living organisms are called enzymes. Enzymes are usually proteins, though some ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules act as enzymes too.

Enzymes perform the critical task of lowering a reaction's activation energy-i.e. the amount of energy that must be put in for the reaction to begin. Enzymes work by binding to reactant molecules and holding them in such a way that the chemical bond-breaking and bond-forming processes take place more readily.

To clarify one important point, enzymes don't change whether a reaction is energy-releasing or energy-absorbing overall. That's because enzymes don't affect the free energy of the reactants or products.

To catalyze a reaction, an enzyme will grab on (bind) to one or more reactant molecules. These molecules are the enzyme's substrates.

In some reactions, one substrate is broken down into multiple products. In others, two substrates come together to create one larger molecule or to swap pieces.

The part of the enzyme where the substrate binds is called the ''Active site'' (since that's where the catalytic ''action'' happens).

Proteins are made of units, called ''amino acids'', and in enzymes that are proteins, the active site gets its properties from the amino acids it's built out of. These amino acids may have side chains that are larg or small, acidic, or basic, hydrophilic or hydrophobic.

When an enzyme binds to its substrate, it lowers the activation energy of the reaction, allowing it to happen more quickly.Active sites are tuned to help a chemical reaction happen, they can be very sensitive to changes in the enzyme's environment. Factors that may affect the active site and enzyme function include-temperature, a higher temperature generally makes for higher rates of reaction, enzyme catalyzed. Very high temperatures (for animal enzymes above 40 degree C or 104 degree F) may cause an enzyme to denature, losing its shape and activity.

pH can also affect enzyme function. Active site amino acid residues often have acidic or basic properties that are important for catalysis.

Activation energy of uncatalyzed reaction - - Activation energy of catalyzed reaction Gibbs free Energy Reactants AC Products Reaction Progress Image: Potential, kinetic, free and activation energy : • Enzymes don't change a reaction's AG value: substrate Active site substrate entering active site of enzyme Enzyme / substrate complex Enzyme / substante Producty complex Ingge! Enzymes Products leaving active site of enzyme.