Molecular Biology (8.1)

Enzyme Inhibitors

**Two Types of Enzyme Inhibitors**

__Non Competitive and Competitive Inhibitors__

__Competitive Inhibitors__

competes with substrate for same active site

Non Competitive Inhibitors

* Bind at a different site away from active site
* Alters the shape of the enzyme

__Competitive Inhibitors__ Effects

* Maximum rate of reaction (V max) becomes __same as reaction__ without inhibitor 
* Increase in substrate ‘conc’; __because__ of more substrate than inhibitor 
* Greater change of __substrate binding__ to __enzyme active site__ and __forming products__

Non Competitive Inhibitors

* Rate levels off and __never__ reaches the same level that it would without inhibitor 
* All enzyme molecules ( are __effectively blocked__ from reacting to substrate due to __modification of active site__ 
* Therefore, the fewer __enzyme molecules that__ can catalyse the reaction

**End Product Inhibition:**

When the end-product of a pathway is __not needed__, it makes sense to __stop reaction at first step__ of a pathway

\
E.g. Once the body has enough melatonin, production will end

melatonin

Melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland (located in your brain). It helps control your sleep cycle.

**Malaria:**

Disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum

* Caused 400k deaths a year
* Transmitted by female mosquitos

**Malaria Cause**

Malaria parasite invades red blood cells and feeds on proteins

**Malaria Bioinformatics**

The genome and protein sequence are __screened for possible chemical interactions__ in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite

* 35 new chemicals show possible __treatment to Malaria__ 

**Enzyme Catalysed Reactions Measurements**

* Time for a substrate to be used up 
* Time for a product to be made
* Amount (mass or volume) of substrate used over a specific amount of time 
* Amount (mass or volume) of product made over a specific amount of time