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Cambridge O Level Biology Your notes

5.1 Enzyme Action

Contents
Enzymes
Enzyme Action & Specificity

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Enzymes
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What Are Enzymes?
Enzymes are biological catalysts
This is because they are:
Catalysts that speed up the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed or used up in the
reaction
Made from the biological molecule protein
They are necessary to all living organisms as they maintain reaction speeds of all metabolic reactions
(all the reactions that keep an organism alive) at a rate that can sustain life
For example, if we did not produce digestive enzymes, it would take around 2 - 3 weeks to digest
one meal; with enzymes, it takes around 4 hours

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How Do Enzymes Work?

The enzyme is made from protein that is folded into a very specific 3D shape Your notes
Part of this 3D shape is a section of the enzyme called the active site
The active site is the section of the enzyme that binds to the substrate (the reactant)
When the enzyme binds to the substrate it is called the enzyme-substrate complex
The formation of the enzyme-substrate complex diagram

The enzyme-substrate complex forms when the substrate binds to the active site of the enzyme
The product is made from the substrate(s) and is released
After the product is released the enzyme is free to bind to a new substrate and repeat the reaction
again
Diagram showing how enzymes work

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Your notes

Enzymes act as biological catalysts

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Enzyme Action & Specificity

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Enzyme Action & Specificity
Enzymes are specific to one particular substrate(s) as the active site of the enzyme, where the
substrate attaches, is a complementary shape to the substrate
This is because the enzyme is a protein and has a specific 3D shape
Different types of enzymes have a different combination of amino acids in the protein, which
results in a different shape
This is known as the lock and key hypothesis
The active site is the lock and the substrate is the key
Only specific shaped keys can fit into each lock
The lock and key model of enzyme action diagram

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Your notes

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Your notes

The lock and key model of enzyme action results in enzyme specificity

Exam Tip
Don't fall into the common trap of calling the enzyme and substrate the same shape. They are
opposite, or complementary, shapes.

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