Metabolism 2: Enzyme Regulation and Inhibition

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to enzyme regulation and inhibition, as discussed in the lecture.

Cofactor

A non-protein compound that is necessary for the functioning of an enzyme.

Coenzyme

An organic cofactor that aids the function of enzymes, often derived from vitamins.

Feedback Inhibition

A regulatory mechanism where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an earlier step to prevent excess production.

Allosteric Regulation

The regulation of an enzyme by binding an effector molecule at a site other than the enzyme's active site.

Competitive Inhibitor

A molecule that resembles the substrate and competes for binding at the active site of an enzyme.

Noncompetitive Inhibitor

A molecule that binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site, reducing the enzyme's activity regardless of substrate concentration.

Cooperativity

A phenomenon where the binding of a substrate to one active site enhances the binding of additional substrates to other active sites in a multisubunit enzyme.

Active Site

The specific region of an enzyme where substrate binding occurs and catalysis takes place.

Mutation

A change in the amino acid sequence that can potentially alter the structure and function of an enzyme.

Zinc

An essential trace element that acts as a cofactor for certain enzymes, such as carboxypeptidase.