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IGCSE Biology (Chapter 5)

Enzymes are protein catalysts produced by living organisms that speed up chemical reactions. They can be divided into three types: breaking down large molecules, building up large molecules from smaller ones, and converting one molecule into another. Enzymes are influenced by temperature and pH - they work best at an optimum temperature and pH level. If the temperature is too high or the pH changes too much, it can cause the enzyme to denature by changing the shape of its active site so substrates no longer fit, stopping it from catalyzing reactions.

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84 views2 pages

IGCSE Biology (Chapter 5)

Enzymes are protein catalysts produced by living organisms that speed up chemical reactions. They can be divided into three types: breaking down large molecules, building up large molecules from smaller ones, and converting one molecule into another. Enzymes are influenced by temperature and pH - they work best at an optimum temperature and pH level. If the temperature is too high or the pH changes too much, it can cause the enzyme to denature by changing the shape of its active site so substrates no longer fit, stopping it from catalyzing reactions.

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Catalysts speed up a chemical reaction and remain unchanged at the end of the reaction

Biological catalysts are enzymes produced by living organisms, that speed up chemical reactions

Enzymes are proteins produces by organisms, that speed up chemical reactions

Enzyme catalysation can be divided into three types

I. Breaking large molecules into small ones


- Important in nutrition when large food molecules are broken into small ones (in the gut)
- Bacteria and Fungi release enzymes to break down their food as well

II. Building up large molecules from small ones


- Small molecules such as glucose are joined together to make large molecules
- Catalyse the formation of storage molecules i.e. starch and structural molecules i.e.
cellulose

III. Converting one molecule into another


- Chemical reactions often involve small changes to molecules such as adding or removing
atoms or groups of atoms

Properties of enzymes

1. They are all proteins


2. Each enzyme catalyses one reaction
3. They can be used again and again
4. They are influenced by temperature
5. They are influenced by Ph

o Enzymes catalyse reactions in which substrates are converted into products


o The enzyme and substrate are complimentary, so they fit together
o Once they fit a reaction takes place
o Other enzymes have non-complimentary shapes, so they won’t be involved in other
reactions
o When the reaction is over the products leave the enzyme and another substrate enters the
molecule
o The part of the enzyme where the substrate fits is the active site
o ‘Lock and key model’ – the substrate and enzyme combine like a key entering a lock to form
an enzyme-substrate complex
Factors affecting enzyme action

Temperature:

 Temperature at which the maximum rate of reaction occurs is called the optimum
temperature
 This is the best temperature for the enzyme to function at (fastest rate of reaction)
 The amount of end product will be the same but the time in which it was yielded will differ

How?

Initially increasing the temperature will increase the rate of reaction because

i. Enzyme and substrate molecules will have more kinetic energy


ii. So they will move around quickly and there will be more a higher chance of them colliding
iii. So there will be a higher chance the substrate will fit into the active sit

What if temperature is too high?

i. At higher temperatures the bond holding the enzyme together, start to break down
ii. Changes the shape of the active site, so the substrate no longer fits
iii. We call this, the enzyme being denatured, and it can no longer catalyse the reaction

pH:

 Enzymes are influenced by the pH of their surroundings


 Different enzymes work best at different pH
 The pH at which an enzyme works best is called the optimum pH

A significant change in the pH causes the bond holding the enzyme together to break down

Changes the shape of the active site, so the substrate no longer fits

We call this, the enzyme being denatured, and it can no longer catalyse the reaction

Though small changes in pH can reduce the rate of reaction without denaturing the enzyme

But extreme change in pH causes the enzyme to become unstable and denatures it

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