Enzyme Chemistry

CHAPTER Six Enzyme Chemistry

LEARNING TARGETS: At the end of the lesson, the students can:

Define enzyme and identify its role in metabolic reactions,

Classify and name enzymes.

Describe the general nature of enzymes.

Identify and enumerate the factors that affect enzymatic activity.

What are ENZYMES?

Enzymes are the functional units of cells metabolism. Acting in organized sequences, they catalyze the hundreds of stepwise reactions by which nutrient molecules are degraded, chemistry energy is conserved and transformed, and cell macromolecules are made from simple precursors. Among many enzymes participating in metabolism, there is a special class called regulatory enzymes, which can sense various metabolic signals and change their catalytic rates accorded through their actions enzyme system are highly coordinated to yield a harmonious interplay between the many different metabolic activities necessary to sustain the living state.

Enzymes are defined as organic catalysts, produced by the living cell, that are not dependent on the intact cell for their activity. Each enzyme catalyzes only one or at most only a small number of reactions, Enzymes are thus reaction-specific are thus reaction-specific catalysts. Many enzymes maybe extracted from calls without outside the living cell.

There are two important characteristics of enzymes that should not be forgotten. The first is that the enzyme is not changed by entering into the reaction; it reverts to its original state the reaction is complete. The second is that the enzyme does not change the equilibrium constant of the reaction, it simply increases the rate at which the reaction takes place and achieved equilibrium.