Enzymes are biomolecules, typically proteins, that act as catalysts in biochemical reactions within living organisms. They significantly accelerate the rate of specific chemical reactions without undergoing any changes themselves. Enzymes play a crucial role in metabolic processes by facilitating necessary chemical reactions that are essential for life.
These protein catalysts are highly specific, meaning they only catalyze a particular reaction or set of reactions. Each enzyme has an active site, a region where the substrate molecule(s) bind and undergo a chemical transformation. The substrate(s) bind to the active site in a complementary manner, similar to a lock and key, and the enzyme alters the chemical bonds within the substrate(s), leading to the formation of products.
Enzymes follow a kinetic model called the "lock and key" model or the more refined "induced fit" model, where the enzyme and substrate undergo conformational changes upon binding, enhancing their compatibility and facilitating the reaction. Enzymes can be named based on the reactions they catalyze, e.g., carbohydrases for carbohydrate breakdown, proteases for protein degradation, and lipases for lipid metabolism.
Enzymes are highly regulated by factors such as substrate concentration, pH, temperature, and the presence of inhibitors or activators. They are crucial for numerous biological processes, including digestion, cellular respiration, DNA replication, and immune response. Enzymes have widespread applications in various fields, such as medicine, industry, and research, due to their ability to speed up reactions and provide specificity.
