Concept: Enzymes speed up metabolic reactions by lowering energy barriers

5 important questions on Concept: Enzymes speed up metabolic reactions by lowering energy barriers

What is a catalyst? And what is catalysis?

A catalyst is a chemical agent that speeds up a reaction whithout being consumed by the reaction. They reduce the energy barrier.

In catalysis, enzymes or other catalysts speed up specific reactions by lowering the Ea barrier.

What is an enzyme-substrate complex?

When the enzyme binds to its substrate it forms an enzyme-substrate complex. While bound, the activity of the enzyme converts substrate to product.

What is an active site?

The active site is the region on the enzyme where the substrate binds. That dictates what kind of substrate it will bind.
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In what ways can an enzyme active site lower the Ea barrier?

- Orienting substrates correctly
- Straining substrate bonds
- Providing a favorable microenvironment
- Covalently bonding to the substrate

What are competitive inhibitors?

Molecules that can be designed and made that bind to the active site of an enzyme, competing with the substrate.

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