Enzymes
,Introduction to enzymes
• Enzymes are usually proteins (some RNA)
• In general, names end with suffix “ase”
• Enzymes are catalysts–increase the rate of a reaction:
• not consumed by the reaction
• act repeatedly to increase the rate of reactions
• Enzymes are often very “specific”- promote only 1 particular reacti
, General properties of enzymes
• They are proteins
• They increase rates of metabolic reactions
• They function at much smaller concentration
ohence do not alter equilibrium of reaction
• They catalyze reactions at high rates in moderate conditions
oe.g. temperature, pH, pressure
, General properties of enzymes
• They are specific in action
o they act on only one type of substrate
• They show ability to couple reactions
o reactions not energetically favoured can be coupled to be energetical
favoured reactions
• They are controlled in their action by substrate and product concentratio
• They can be recycled
,Introduction to enzymes
• Enzymes are usually proteins (some RNA)
• In general, names end with suffix “ase”
• Enzymes are catalysts–increase the rate of a reaction:
• not consumed by the reaction
• act repeatedly to increase the rate of reactions
• Enzymes are often very “specific”- promote only 1 particular reacti
, General properties of enzymes
• They are proteins
• They increase rates of metabolic reactions
• They function at much smaller concentration
ohence do not alter equilibrium of reaction
• They catalyze reactions at high rates in moderate conditions
oe.g. temperature, pH, pressure
, General properties of enzymes
• They are specific in action
o they act on only one type of substrate
• They show ability to couple reactions
o reactions not energetically favoured can be coupled to be energetical
favoured reactions
• They are controlled in their action by substrate and product concentratio
• They can be recycled
