AP Biology / Unit 3: Cellular Energetics
3.1 Enzymes
Notes
Enzymes are proteins (catalysts) that speed up reactions by lowering activation energy. They aren't used up.
- The substrate binds the active site, whose shape and charge fit the substrate.
- An enzyme doesn't change $\Delta G$ (the overall energy change).
Practice
Enzymes speed reactions by:
A lower barrier.
An enzyme's specificity comes from:
Lock and key / induced fit.
After a reaction, the enzyme:
Catalysts aren't consumed.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 3 test.