Enzyme Inhibition and Hemoglobin Function

Flashcards covering key concepts related to enzyme inhibition and hemoglobin function.

Inhibitors

Molecules that decrease enzyme activity.

Irreversible Inhibitors

Inactivators that permanently shut off enzyme activity.

Reversible Inhibitors

Inhibitors that allow enzymes to return to their original state after removal.

Competitive Inhibition

Inhibitor competes with substrate for binding to the active site.

Uncompetitive Inhibition

Inhibitor binds to an enzyme only when the substrate is present, preventing product formation.

Noncompetitive Inhibition

Inhibitor binds to an enzyme regardless of whether the substrate is present, reducing enzyme activity.

KM

Michaelis constant, a value that indicates the substrate concentration at which half the enzyme's active sites are filled.

Suicide Inhibitors

Mechanism-based inhibitors that bind to the enzyme as a substrate and are transformed into irreversible inhibitors.

Catalytic Mechanisms

Processes that enhance the rate of chemical reactions, including acid-base catalysis, covalent catalysis, and metal ion catalysis.

Heme

An organometallic compound that binds oxygen in proteins like myoglobin and hemoglobin.

Bohr Effect

The physiological phenomenon where an increase in carbon dioxide and a decrease in pH reduce hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen.

Zymogen

An inactive precursor form of an enzyme, activated by proteolytic cleavage.

Nucleotides

Building blocks of nucleic acids, consists of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Phosphodiester Linkages

Covalent bonds that form the backbone of nucleic acids, connecting nucleotides.

DNA Denaturation

The process of separating the two strands of DNA, often induced by heat or pH changes.

Cisplatin

A chemotherapeutic agent that modifies DNA to prevent cancer cell replication.