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Enzymes are proteins that catalyse (speed up) a reaction. They are very specific; enzymes will only bind a very specific molecule (or molecules containing a very specific chemical group). They normally have no effect on molecules that are not their substrate (the specific type of molecule they can interact with).

Enzymes work because they have a specific shape and an 'active site'. The active site is the part of the enzyme that will bind its substrate and it may be charged in specific places so that it attracts and binds tightly to the substrate. Because the active site is the right shape and charge for the substrate, it can bind it efficiently and when it does this it causes the enzyme to change shape and catalyse a chemical reaction. Other molecules that are the wrong size, shape or charge will simply not fit into the active site or will be repelled, so the enzyme doesn't affect them.

Some enzymes contain complex metal ions at their active site which help create the right conditions to bind the substrate, by adding a certain charge in a certain place.

Enzymes can be 'fooled' by molecules of a very similar size, shape and charge as their normal substrate. Many toxins work in this way, by being similar to a certain molecule that the enzyme normally binds to. The toxins cause a problem because they are slightly different from the actual substrate and so don't react but just occupy the active site permanently or until they fall out. This means that the enzyme is useless.

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