The Process of Enzymatic Reactions: How Enzymes Speed Up Chemical Reactions in Living Organisms

1) Substrate contacts region on the enzymes surface called the active site 2) a temporary intermediate compound forms, called an enzyme-substrate complex 3) substrate molecule is transformed 4) the transformed substrate molecule is released because it no longer fits in active site – this is the product of the reaction 5) unchanged enzyme now free to react again

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms. They do so by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur. The process by which enzymes facilitate these reactions is called an enzymatic reaction or enzyme-catalyzed reaction.

The enzymatic reaction occurs in several steps:

1) Substrate contacts region on the enzyme’s surface called the active site: The substrate is the molecule that the enzyme acts upon. It binds to a specific region on the enzyme’s surface called the active site through weak non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, and hydrophobic interactions. The active site is specifically shaped to accommodate the substrate, similar to a lock and key.

2) Enzyme-substrate complex formation: When the substrate binds to the active site, a temporary intermediate compound forms known as the enzyme-substrate complex. This complex allows the enzyme to interact with the substrate more effectively and initiate the chemical reaction.

3) Substrate transformation: Once the enzyme-substrate complex is formed, the enzyme facilitates a series of chemical reactions that transform the substrate molecule into a new molecule or molecules. Enzymes can act to break down large molecules into smaller ones (catabolic reactions) or build up smaller molecules into larger ones (anabolic reactions).

4) Product release: As the reaction proceeds, the transformed substrate molecule is released from the active site of the enzyme. The transformation of the substrate into the product occurs due to the specific properties of the active site and the catalytic action of the enzyme. The product of the reaction is the molecule(s) that is formed as a result of the enzymatic transformation of the substrate.

5) Enzyme becomes available again: After the product is released, the enzyme returns to its original unchanged state. It is now free to bind to another substrate and undergo another round of catalysis. This ability of the enzyme to repeatedly carry out the same reaction makes it an efficient catalyst, as a single enzyme molecule can facilitate the conversion of a large number of substrate molecules.

In summary, an enzymatic reaction involves the binding of a substrate to the enzyme’s active site, formation of the enzyme-substrate complex, transformation of the substrate into product(s), release of the product(s), and the regeneration of the unchanged enzyme, which can then react with another substrate to continue the process. This process allows enzymes to accelerate chemical reactions necessary for life.

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