Enzymes and Delta G

These flashcards cover important vocabulary and concepts related to enzymes and their role in biochemical reactions, based on the lecture notes.

Enzyme

A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Gibbs Free Energy (ΔG)

A thermodynamic quantity that indicates the spontaneity of a reaction; ΔG < 0 indicates a spontaneous (exergonic) reaction, ΔG > 0 indicates a non-spontaneous (endergonic) reaction.

Exergonic Reaction

A spontaneous chemical reaction that releases energy, characterized by ΔG < 0.

Endergonic Reaction

A chemical reaction that requires an input of energy to proceed, characterized by ΔG > 0.

Activation Energy

The minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.

Catalysis

The process of accelerating a chemical reaction by means of a catalyst.

Competitive Inhibition

A form of enzyme regulation where a molecule similar to the substrate competes for the active site.

Allosteric Regulation

A form of enzyme regulation where a regulatory molecule binds to a site other than the active site, causing a change in enzyme shape.

Transition State

A high-energy state during a chemical reaction where old bonds are breaking and new bonds are forming.

Metabolic Pathway

A series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell where the product of one reaction is the substrate for the next.