This post will go through enzymes and their role in cells for Prelim Biology.
What are Enzymes and Their Role in Cells?
Enzymes are essentially a special type of protein that binds molecules called substrates, causing them to break down or stick together. Note that each enzyme protein is structured for a specific substrate. Now, these substrates will do that regardless of whether the enzymes are there although way too slowly, the enzymes simply provide a place where they CAN bind which does increase the likelihood of them actually breaking down or, sticking together which increases the reaction rate.
The set of all chemical reactions that take place in the body make up the metabolism, enzymes are therefore very important as they determine the metabolism. This video will go through enzymes in a little more detail.
This video also goes through enzymes.
Enzymes and Their Environment
Enzymes have ideal conditions in which they function, if the temperature around an enzyme is too high, or if it is too acidic, then the enzyme will denature (i.e.permanently damage the shape of the protein thus making it no longer able to function).
Note that if the substrate concentration increases, the enzyme activity will also increase until a certain point where all the enzymes are too busy to take on any more extra substrates leading to a plateau. This video will communicate how varying conditions will affect enzymes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq1foXnvJao
This video is a good summary of this topic.
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