NAME: __________________________ RATING: ________________________

GROUP NO. _____________________ DATE: ________________________

ACTIVITY 12
ENZYMATIC ACTION

An enzyme is defined as a macromolecule that catalyzes a biochemical reaction. In this

type of chemical reaction, the starting molecules are called substrates. The enzyme
interacts with a substrate, converting it into a new product. Most enzymes are named by
combining the name of the substrate with the -ase suffix (e.g., protease, urease). Nearly
all metabolic reactions inside the body rely on enzymes in order to make the reactions
proceed quickly enough to be useful.

Enzymes work by lowering the activation energy needed to make a chemical reaction
occur. Like other catalysts, enzymes change the equilibrium of a reaction, but they aren't
consumed in the process. While most catalysts can act on a number of different types of
reactions, a key feature of an enzyme is that it is specific. In other words, an enzyme that
catalyzes one reaction won't have any effect on a different reaction.

Most enzymes are globular proteins that are much larger than the substrate with which
they interact. They range in size from 62 amino acids to more than 2,500 amino acid
residues, but only a portion of their structure is involved in catalysis. The enzyme has
what is called an active site, which contains one or more binding sites that orient the
substrate in the correct configuration, and also a catalytic site, which is the part of the
molecule that lowers activation energy. The remainder of an enzyme's structure acts
primarily to present the active site to the substrate in the best way. There may also be
allosteric site, where an activator or inhibitor can bind to cause a conformation change
that affects the enzyme activity.

Some enzymes require an additional chemical, called a cofactor, for catalysis to occur.
The cofactor could be a metal ion or an organic molecule, such as a vitamin. Cofactors
may bind loosely or tightly to enzymes. Tightly-bound cofactors are called prosthetic
groups.
I. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the exercise, the students should be able to

1. Understand how enzyme work,

2. Illustrate with label and explain the lock-key- model and induce fit model of
enzymes.
3. Explicate the factors affecting enzyme activity.
4. Enumerate enzymes commonly assayed for diagnostic purposes.
5. Explain how enzymes endanger and benefit life.

II. II. MATERIALS

Work sheet Biochemistry book E-article/E-book on Biochemistry

III. PROCEDURES

1. Answer the research questions

IV. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Illustrate with label and explain the lock and key model and induce fit model of
enzymes.

Lock and Key Model

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Induce-Fit Model

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2. Explicate the different factors affecting the enzymatic activity.

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3. Enumerate enzymes commonly assayed for diagnostic purposes and its

indication.

Enzyme Location Cause of Elevated Plasma Level

V. REFERENCES

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