Enzymes - LC Biology

Enzyme

A protein catalyst that controls the rate of metabolic reactions

Substrate

The substance an enzyme reacts with

Product

The substance that results when an enzyme and substrate react

pH

A measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is

Buffer

Substance used to maintain pH

Optimum pH

Means the pH value at which the enzyme works best

Catabolic Enzymes

Break complex substances into simpler ones

e.g. amylase (converts starch to maltose)

Anabolic Enzymes

Convert simple substances into more complex ones

e.g. DNA polymerase (forms and repairs DNA)

Bioprocessing

The use of micro-organisms and enzyme-controlled reactions to produce a product

Immobilised Enzymes

Are attached or fixed to each other or an insoluble support (e.g. grain of sand)

Active Site

The part of the enzyme that combines with the substrate and where the enzyme-substrate reactions occur

Denaturation

A denatured enzyme is one that has lost its shape and and can no longer react with its substrate (due to extreme temperature or pH)

Enzyme Specificity

Means that each enzyme will react with only one particular substrate