Enzymes & Energy Vocab

Enzyme

Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions reusable and not used up or changed are almost always made of protein

Metabolism

The combination of chemical reactions that synthesize and hydrolyze biomolecules for energy storage and release in an organism

Catabolism

Exergonic reactions that break down biological polymers into monomers to help generate ATP

Anabolism

Endergonic reactions that build up monomers into biological polymers for energy storag

Exergonic

Release free energy used by endergonic reactions, related to catabolism and allow net release of free energy

Endergonic

Uses exergonic reactions to function, related to anabolism and requires net investment of free energy

Free Energy

Energy available to do work in a cell

Substrate

Reactant that is changed by the enzyme

Active Site

Where substrate binds, matches shape and chemical properties of substrate

Enzyme-Substrate Complex

Where enzyme and substrate are bound together

Conformational Change

Changing shape

Activation Energy

The required amount of energy for all chemical reactions to occur

Maximum Rate

The rate enzymes can catalyze reactions

Enzyme Efficiency

The measure of how close an enzyme is to the maximum rate

Cofactors

Non-protein, small inorganic compounds and ions bound within enzyme molecule

Coenzymes

Non-protein, organic molecules that bind near active site and assist reactions

Competitive Inhibition 

When inhibitor and substrate have similar shapes and compete for active site of enzyme

Non-Competitive Inhibition

When inhibitor binds to different place on enzyme called allosterie side