Biology Chapter 8: How Enzymes Work

Enzymes Overview

• Enzymes are proteins that serve as biological catalysts, playing a crucial role in accelerating chemical reactions in living organisms.
• They work by lowering the activation energy (EA) required for reactions to occur, facilitating faster metabolic processes.

Function and Characteristics

• An enzyme functions as an organic catalyst, meaning it increases the rate of reactions without being consumed or permanently altered in the process.
• Upon participating in a reaction, enzymes remain unchanged and can be reused multiple times for subsequent reactions.

Substrates in Enzymatic Reactions

• The reactants in an enzymatically catalyzed reaction are referred to as substrates, which bind to the enzyme's active site.
• The interaction between enzymes and substrates is crucial for the specificity and efficiency of biochemical reactions.