Chapter 20:

Enzymes

ENZYME CHARACTERISTICS
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions.
They speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation
energies.

ENZYME CHARACTERISTICS, cont.

Enzymes are specific in the type of reactions they
catalyze.
Absolute specificity acts only on one substance
Relative specificity acts on structurally related
substances
Stereochemical specificity distinguishes between
stereoisomers
Their activity can be regulated.

CLASSIFYING AND NAMING ENZYMES

A substrate is the substance that undergoes a chemical
change catalyzed by an enzyme.
Enzyme names are based on the substrate or type of
reaction and adding ase ending.

CLASSIFYING AND NAMING, cont.

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Coached Problem

ENZYME COFACTORS
Some enzymes require a second substance present
(cofactor) in order to be active.
Cofactors can be a nonprotein molecule or ion.
If the cofactor is an organic molecule, it is called a
coenzyme.
An apoenzyme is the catalytically inactive protein formed
by the removal of the cofactor.

Coenzymes are often derived from vitamins.

ENZYME MECHANISM
All enzymes have an active site the location on the
enzyme where a substrate binds and catalysis occurs.
Enzymes complex with the substrate and the chemical
reaction proceeds.

There are two main theories on active sites:

Lock-and-key theory the substrate has a shape that
exactly fits the active site. This explains enzyme
specificity.

 Induced-fit theory the conformation of the active site

changes to accommodate an incoming substrate.

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ENZYME ACTIVITY
Rate at which an enzyme catalyzes a reaction.
Turnover number number of substrate molecules acted
on by one enzyme molecule per minute
Enzyme international unit quantity of enzyme that
catalyzes the conversion of 1 mol of substrate per minute

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FACTORS AFFECTING ACTIVITY

Enzyme concentration the more enzyme present, the
faster substrate reacts

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FACTORS, cont.
Increasing substrate concentration increases the
reaction rate until enzymes become saturated (Vmax)

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FACTORS, cont.
Temperature enzymes have an optimum temperature,
above which they begin to denature

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FACTORS, cont.
pH enzymes have optimum pHs, above and below which
the rate decreases

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ENZYME INHIBITION
Inhibitors decrease enzyme activity.
Irreversible inhibitors covalently bond with the enzyme and
render it inactive.
Many poisons are irreversible inhibitors.
Examples: CN-, Hg2+, Pb2+
Some antibiotics are irreversible inhibitors.

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INHIBITION, cont.
Reversible inhibitors reversibly bind with enzymes.
Competitive reversible inhibitors compete with substrate
for binding at active site.
Action can be reversed by increasing substrate
concentration (LeChteliers principle).

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INHIBITION, cont.
Noncompetitive reversible inhibitors bind to the enzyme at
a location other than the active site.
Substrate concentration doesnt affect inhibitor action.

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ENZYME REGULATION
1. Activation of zymogens an inactive precursor of an
enzyme
Some enzymes are stored as inactive zymogens.
Released when needed and activated at the location
where the reaction occurs.

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REGULATION, cont.
2. Allosteric regulation allosteric enzyme activity is altered
by the binding of a modulator
Modulators can increase allosteric enzyme activity
(activator) or decrease it (inhibitor).
Feedback inhibition is an example of a modulator
decreasing the activity of an allosteric enzyme.

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REGULATION, cont.
3. Enzyme Induction the synthesis of an enzyme in
response to a cellular need
This is an example of genetic control.
Synthesis of -galactosidase is an example of enzyme
induction.

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MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
Changes in blood serum concentrations of specific
enzymes can be used to detect cell damage or
uncontrolled growth (cancer).
The measurement of enzyme concentrations in blood
serum has become a major diagnostic tool, particularly in
diagnosing diseases of the heart, liver, pancreas, prostate,
and bones.

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MEDICAL APPLICATIONS, cont.

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MEDICAL APPLICATIONS, cont.

Isozymes are slightly different forms of the same enzyme
produced by different tissues.
Serum levels of isozymes can be used in the diagnosis of
a wide range of diseases.

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