Summary

 Enzymes are proteins that can speed up reactions.

 When enzymes are folded, they form active sites that can bind to
molecules;
 Each active site can bind to certain molecules – they fit like a lock
and key
 Enzymes need specific conditions to work properly: temperature, pH,
co-factors or ATP molecules
 Enzymes can be blocked by special molecules called inhibitors
 Reactions that are supported by enzymes go many times faster than
in conditions without them;
 Enzymes participate in all processes in our bodies.
As you are reading this article, your cells are still actively working. Your
brain cells are firing electricity, sending signals back and forth. Your eyes
are moving from sentence to sentence. Your muscle cells are helping to
keep your body upright. The immune cells are patrolling the bloodstream.
Other cells are constantly producing something, destroying something,
dying, dividing. There is always some activity afoot. And that means
multiple chemical reactions are taking place every second.

But reactions in the cell are different from the experiments one undertakes
in the laboratory. When we want a reaction to take place, we take certain
ingredients, add them to the same space, create favourable conditions (for
example, heat up the vial with them), and then wait for the result. And these
things usually take time. But the living cells cannot wait. They need those
processes to happen NOW, and as quickly as possible. That is why they
need special substances that speed up reactions. Such substances are
called catalysts. And the most powerful chemical catalysts that the cell has
are called enzymes.       
What Are Enzymes?
Enzymes are organic molecules that belong to a class called proteins.
Usually, an enzyme would look something like that: 
A model of an enzyme. Credit: Bradshaw et al.
But if we unravel this complex structure, we would see a long chain made
of similar-looking building blocks. The building blocks of proteins (including
enzymes) are called amino acids. There 20 amino acids that compose our
proteins. All of them are encoded in our genetic code – DNA.

The properties of amino acids allow these long, straight chains to fold up in
complex structures similar to the picture above. And these strange shapes
are the key to how enzymes help speed up reactions.

When the enzymes are folded up properly, special areas are created
called active sites or binding sites. Certain molecules can get attached to
these sites. Active sites are highly specific. They fit only particular
molecules: for example sugars, ions, amino acids or DNA. Such molecules
are called substrates. If the “right” molecule comes near the enzyme, it
gets attached, and the reaction can take place. It is similar to the way the
key fits your lock: when you use the proper key, the lock turns and the door
opens. If the key is wrong, you will not be able to enter. The lock-and-key
model is the most popular description of how the enzymes act.

The chain of amino

acids folds into a particular shape, forming an active site. This active site fits a specific
molecule called a substrate. When the substrate binds to the active site of the enzyme, a
reaction can take place.
Reactions that are carried out are insanely fast. For example, there is an
enzyme that transforms carbon dioxide, CO2, into carbonic acid (H2CO3). It
is called carbonic anhydrase. It is one of the fastest enzymes known –
one reaction takes up 5 seconds. Without an enzyme, this reaction would
take up 106 as long! Carbonic anhydrase is an enzyme very important to
our breathing – without it, the process of exchanging CO2 and oxygen in the
lungs would take a very long time.
Tricky Working Conditions
Enzymes are efficient workers, but they need proper working conditions to
do their jobs.
  Temperature 
Each kind of enzyme has its own temperature at which it works best. If the
temperature of the environment is too low, the protein would not work well
(or at all). If it is too high, the enzymes unravel and stops working – this
process is called denaturation. Only at an optimal temperature can an
enzyme work most quickly and effectively.

Optimal temperature graph

 pH level
pH level of the environment is another important condition. Each enzyme
also has a pH that is best for it. Some enzymes can only work in highly
acidic conditions (some digestion enzymes, for example). Others need a
neutral pH. Incorrect pH can also lead to the enzyme denaturation.

 Concentration of the substrate

The enzyme needs materials to work with. If there are too few substrate
molecules, an enzyme simple cannot work properly.
  Presence of co-factors
Some enzymes can only work if they have another small molecule attached
to them. Often, these molecules are metals or charged ions (zinc, iron,
etc.). Without them, the enzymes simply cannot take the required shape
and form the active site.

 Presence of ATP
Many types of enzymes need “fuel” to work. Usually, this “fuel” is provided
by taking apart an ATP molecule. Such ATP-dependent enzymes usually
have a special part that does just that: destroying ATP molecules to give
push to the reaction needed, performed by another part of the enzyme.

 Presence of inhibitors
Usually, there are two types of molecules that can bind to an active site.
One type is a substrate – a molecule (or several) that are needed for a
certain reaction to take place. But there are also molecules that work like a
chewing gum stuck to a working lock. They may not fit fully to the binding
site, but they still attach firmly and block the binding of the substrate. If the
concentration of inhibitors is higher than the level of the substrate, the
enzyme reaction simply does not happen.

Types Of Enzymes
If you read a scientific article, you are quite likely to know immediately
when the author speaks of an enzyme. They usually have specific names
that describe what they can actually do. For example, carbonic anhydrase
role is attaching hydrogen molecules to carbon dioxide, producing carbonic
acid. Carbonic indicates the substrate the enzyme works with and
“anhydrase” describes the reaction involved in scientific terms.

Enzymes can do many kinds of reactions. Here are some examples:

 Helicases – unwind the helix of DNA

 Transferases – transport molecules
 Hydrolases – transfer parts of molecules to water
 Ligases – bind two different molecules
The Multiple Roles Of Enzymes
Enzymes are very important. They help us digest food, destroy
unnecessary molecules, make new ones, help us breathe and carry things
around. Understanding enzymes are also important for the development of
the drugs. By finding the enzyme that can influence the illness and
understanding what it works with you can find a proper drug to solve the
problem. For example, many medicines interfere with the work of enzymes
of bacteria and viruses, thus killing them or preventing them from
reproducing.

You actually can take care of your enzymes. By eating properly and getting
all of the necessary microelements, you provide your enzymes with the co-
factors they need. You are preventing your enzymes from denaturing by
taking an anti-fever medicine when you are sick (though remember, you
have to take it only when the fever is very high and holds for too long,
otherwise you will just be in the way of your immune system!). Drinking
water when necessary not only keeps you hydrated but also may help to
keep up proper pH somewhere. Support your enzymes – they work for you
every day without fail!

Links And Further Reading:

[1.] https://medium.com/lifes-building-blocks/an-enzyme-switch-
82d3c26934b5 – a model of an enzyme
[2.] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_site – lock and key model diagram
[3.] https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwnstv4/revision/2 – Optimal
temperature graph
[4.] Berg, J. M. et al. (2002). Biochemistry. 5th edition. New York: W H
Freeman; 2002. Section 8.1, Enzymes Are Powerful and Highly Specific
Catalysts. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22380/

[5.] Carbonic anhydrase (n.d.). https://pdb101.rcsb.org/motm/49