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Enzymes have an active site that is specific for a substrate - therefore enzymes only work when the right substrate is present.

The surfaces of the enzyme and the substrate fit together - like a lock and key - allowing the enzyme to fulfil its function.

The theory of "induced fit" is more widely accepted - it is similar, but the enzyme shape changes to accommodate the substrate.

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What do enzymes and substrates look like?

Enzymes and substrates are molecules and look like any other molecules. In case of enzymes specifically, they are proteins and so have long chains of amino acids folded into different structures and shapes.


Which substances fit together like a lock and key?

Enzymes and their specific substrates fit together like a lock and key. Enzymes have specific binding sites that perfectly match the shape of their substrates, allowing for efficient catalysis of specific chemical reactions. This lock-and-key model is essential for the specificity and efficiency of enzyme-substrate interactions.


Why do enzymes usually only work on one substrate (or group of closely related substrates)?

Enzymes have specific active sites that bind to substrates in a complementary manner based on their shape and chemical properties. This specificity allows enzymes to interact with only certain substrates or closely related ones that can fit into their active sites. Any mismatches in shape or chemical properties may prevent effective binding and inhibit the enzyme's activity.


Substrate molecules bind to enzymes where?

The bind in the active site.


What is the purpose of having enzymes within a cell?

Enzymes are biomolecules that catalyze (i.e., increase the rates of) chemical reactions. Almost all enzymes are proteins. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called substrates, and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, the products. Almost all processes in a biological cell need enzymes to occur at significant rates. Since enzymes are selective for their substrates and speed up only a few reactions from among many possibilities, the set of enzymes made in a cell determines which metabolic pathways occur in that cell.

Related Questions

How are substrates like keys and enzymes like locks a bad analogy?

Well, it is just a representation, substrates are normally smaller molecules, and enzymes are in huge size hence they used this analogy!


What do enzymes and substrates look like?

Enzymes and substrates are molecules and look like any other molecules. In case of enzymes specifically, they are proteins and so have long chains of amino acids folded into different structures and shapes.


Which substances fit together like a lock and key?

Enzymes and their specific substrates fit together like a lock and key. Enzymes have specific binding sites that perfectly match the shape of their substrates, allowing for efficient catalysis of specific chemical reactions. This lock-and-key model is essential for the specificity and efficiency of enzyme-substrate interactions.


Why enzymes are so particular about reactions?

Enzymes are complex molecules with intricate structure. It may help to think of them as being somewhat like keys: a key only opens the locks it fits, and enzymes only catalyze reactions where the molecule fits properly with the enzyme's active site.


How does the lock and key help analogy explain enzymes?

The lock and key analogy describes how enzymes interact with specific substrates. Like a key fitting precisely into a lock, enzymes have a specific active site that binds to a substrate of a particular shape, facilitating the chemical reaction. This specificity ensures that enzymes can catalyze specific reactions efficiently.


What object has keys that opens no locks space but no room?

Sounds like a keyboard.


How does the lock and key mechanism work?

The lock and key mechanism describes how enzymes interact with specific substrates. Enzymes have active sites that bind to complementary substrates like a key fitting into a lock. This specific binding allows the enzyme to catalyze a chemical reaction with the substrate.


I have keys that open no locks I have space but have no room You can enter but not come in what am I?

The answer to this riddle is a keyboard. A keyboard has keys that do not open locks, it has space between the keys but no physical room, and you can enter information by typing on it but you cannot physically enter it like a room.


What is the name of the hypothesis that helps explain enzyme functioning?

The lock and key hypothesis explains enzyme functioning. It suggests that enzymes and substrates fit together like a lock and key, with specific enzyme-active sites binding to specific substrates to catalyze reactions.


What is key and lock theory?

It is when the enzyme (lock) fits exactly into the substrate (key) forming an enzyme substrate complex. It refers to enzymes and their substrates. The enzyme has an active site (lock) where the substrate that is complemetary fits in (key). Only substrates that fit perfectly into the enzymes active site will active the particular reaction, just like only 1 specific key will open a door.


How does the interactions between a carrier protein and the substance it transports resembles the interaction between an enzyme and it's substrate?

Carrier proteins transports specific molecules just as enzymes will only react to specific substrates. Molecules will only bind to their respective receptors. It can be thought of sort of like a puzzle piece, which will only fit into its correct place. Enzymes and substrates also function in this matter.


Why do we need house keys?

To lock and unlock the house locks that keep burglars and strangers from entering your house anytime they feel like.