What_are_enzymes

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What Are Biochemical Reactions?

Chemical reactions that take place inside living things are called biochemical
reactions. The sum of all the biochemical reactions in an organism is referred to
as metabolism

.
Metabolism includes both exothermic (heat-releasing) chemical reactions and
endothermic (heat-absorbing) chemical reactions.

Catabolic Reactions

Exergonic reactions in organisms are called catabolic reactions. These reactions


break down molecules into smaller units and release energy. An example of
a catabolic reaction is the breakdown of glucose during cellular respiration, which
releases energy that cells need to carry out life processes.

Anabolic Reactions

Endergonic reactions in organisms are called anabolic reactions. These reactions


absorb energy and build bigger molecules from smaller ones. An example of
an anabolic reaction is the joining of amino acids to form a protein

(Endergonic reactions require energy input to take simple, low energy reactants and build
complex, high energy products. Exergonic reactions release the energy bound up in the reactants
and yield simpler, low energy products.)

What are enzymes?

Enzymes are proteins that help speed up metabolism, or the chemical reactions in
our bodies. They build some substances and break others down. All living things
have enzymes.

Our bodies naturally produce enzymes. But enzymes are also in manufactured
products and food.

What do enzymes do?


One of the most important roles of enzymes is to aid in digestion. Digestion is the
process of turning the food we eat into energy. For example, there are enzymes in
our saliva, pancreas, intestines and stomach. They break down fats, proteins and
carbohydrates. Enzymes use these nutrients for growth and cell repair.

Enzymes also help with:

 Breathing.
 Building muscle.
 Nerve function.
 Ridding our bodies of toxins.

What are the different types of enzymes?

There are thousands of individual enzymes in the body. Each type of enzyme only
has one job. For example, the enzyme sucrase breaks down a sugar called sucrose.
Lactase breaks down lactose, a kind of sugar found in milk products.

Some of the most common digestive enzymes are:

 Carbohydrase breaks down carbohydrates into sugars.


 Lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids.
 Protease breaks down protein into amino acids.

PARTS OF ENZYMES

What are the parts of an enzyme?

Each enzyme has an “active site.” This area has a unique shape. The substance an
enzyme works on is a substrate. The substrate also has a unique shape. The enzyme
and the substrate must fit together to work.

How do temperature and pH affect enzymes?

Enzymes need the right conditions to work. If conditions aren’t right, enzymes can
change shape. Then, they no longer fit with substrates, so they don’t work
correctly.

Each enzyme has an ideal temperature and pH:


 pH: Enzymes are sensitive to acidity and alkalinity. They don’t work
properly if an environment is too acidic or basic. For example, an enzyme in
the stomach called pepsin breaks down proteins. If your stomach doesn’t
have enough acid, pepsin can’t function optimally.
 Temperature: Enzymes work best when your body temperature is normal,
about 98.6°F (37°C). As temperature increases, enzyme reactions increase.
But if the temperature gets too high, the enzyme stops working. That’s why
a high fever can disrupt bodily functions.

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