Enzymes, Metabolism, & Metabolic Pathways

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms associated with enzymes, metabolism, and metabolic pathways.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions in a cell that maintain homeostasis.

Enzyme

A protein that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed.

Substrate

The reactant in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction.

Activation Energy

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.

Coenzyme

Non-protein molecules, often vitamins, that assist in enzyme activity.

Metabolic Pathway

A series of sequential chemical reactions, where the product of one reaction is the reactant for the next.

Induced Fit Model

A model describing how an enzyme changes shape to better fit the substrate.

Lock and Key Model

A model explaining how only a specific substrate fits into the enzyme's active site.

Competitive Inhibitor

A substance that competes with the substrate for the active site of an enzyme.

Non-Competitive Inhibitor

A substance that binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site, altering its function.

Cofactors

Inorganic molecules that assist enzymes in catalyzing reactions.

Feedback Inhibition

A process where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an earlier step.