What are enzymes? Write in brief the mechanism of enzyme catalysis.

Vedclass pdf generator app on play store
Vedclass iOS app on app store
(N/A) Enzymes are complex,nitrogenous organic compounds produced by living plants and animals. They are essentially protein molecules of high molecular mass that form colloidal solutions in water. They are also known as 'biochemical catalysts'.
Mechanism of enzyme catalysis:
$1$. Binding: The surface of an enzyme contains cavities with characteristic shapes,which possess active groups such as $-NH_2$,$-COOH$,etc.
$2$. Complex Formation: Reactant molecules (substrates) with a complementary shape fit into these cavities,similar to how a key fits into a lock,forming an enzyme-substrate $(ES)$ complex.
$3$. Product Formation: The $ES$ complex then decomposes to yield the product and regenerate the enzyme.
This process is represented as:
$E + S \rightleftharpoons ES \rightarrow E + P$
(Where $E$ = Enzyme,$S$ = Substrate,$ES$ = Enzyme-Substrate complex,$P$ = Product)

Explore More

Similar Questions

Which one of the following statements is incorrect about enzyme catalysis?

Observe the following reactions:
$I$) $\text{Sucrose} (aq) + H_2O \xrightarrow{x} \text{glucose} + \text{fructose}$
$II$) $\text{Glucose} (aq) \xrightarrow{y} \text{ethanol} + CO_2$
What are $x$ and $y$ respectively?

Which of the following statements is false in relation to enzymes?

Which of the following biomolecules acts as specific catalysts in biological reactions?

Which of the following hormones contains iodine?

Vedclass Products

For Students

Vedclass Test Series

Mock tests in real JEE/NEET style with performance analysis. 5-day free trial.

Start Free Trial
For Teachers

Exam Paper Generator

Generate Set A/B/C/D exam papers from 7.5L+ questions in 2 minutes. 3 chapters free.

Try Free
For Institutes

Online Exam Module

Live online exams with unlimited students, 360° analytics & white-label branding.

See Demo