Question

IV. Enzymes have certain characteristics that can help or hurt them. Describe what an enzyme is and some

conditions that affect them positively or negatively as well as competitive and non-competitive inhibitors

Answer 1

Enzyme is a substance produced by the living organisms which catalyse the specific biochemical reaction.

The conditions which can positively affect and negatively affect the enzymatic activity are dependent on the range of the factor :

1- pH : Optimum pH levels are required for the enzymatic activity . When pH increases above a particular range , it leads to denaturation of the enzyme.

2- Temperature : increase of temperature levels above the optimum range leads to denaturation

3- Substrate concentration : As the substrate concentration increase , the enzymatic activity is increased.

Competetive inhibhitors : These are analogous to the substrate and occupy the same active substrate binding site and competes with it. But This can be prevented by increasing the substrate concentration . Nothing happens to the Vmax .

Non competetive inhibhitors : They bind to a different site other than substrate . This decreases the velocity of the enzyme reaction.