Enzymes
Most of the food we eat is complex Food belonging to the food group consisting of sugars, starch and cellulose. Carbohydrates are vital for energy in humans and are stored as fat if eaten in excess. In plants, carbohydrates are important for photosynthesis., Organic compound made up of amino acid molecules. One of the three main food groups, proteins are needed by the body for cell growth and repair. and Fat or oils, composed of fatty acids and glycerol.. These must be broken down to be absorbed into the body.
The chemical reactions required to break them down would be too slow without A protein which catalyses or speeds up a chemical reaction..
Enzymes are biological A substance that changes the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed by the reaction itself. – they speed up chemical reactions.
Enzymes are required for most of the chemical reactions that occur in Living entity, eg animals, plants or microorganisms.. These reactions occur in the breakdown of chemical molecules, which we see in the Organ system involved in breaking food down so that it can be absorbed into the bloodstream..
Enzymes are also involved in the building up of chemical molecules elsewhere in the body.
Enzymes are proteins that have a complex 3D-shape. Each enzyme has a region called an The part of the enzyme to which a specific substrate can attach or fit on to..
The A substance on which enzymes act. – the molecule or molecules taking part in the chemical reaction – fits into the active site. Once bound to the active site, the chemical reaction takes place .
In an organism, the active site of each enzyme is a different shape. It is a perfect match to the shape of the substrate molecule, or molecules. This is essential to the enzyme being able to work. One enzyme is therefore specific to one substrate's chemical reaction, or type of chemical reaction.
This theory for the way in which enzymes work is called the Model which compares the specificity of enzymes with a key and its lock..
Learn all about enzymes with Dr Alex Lathbridge.
Listen to the full series on ±«Óătv Sounds.
In this podcast, learn the key facts about enzymes. Listen to the full series on ±«Óătv Sounds.