Enzymes: Active Site Chemistry and the Induced Fit Hypothesis
Students will investigate the specialized organelles within eukaryotic cells, comparing and contrasting the structures and functions found in plant and animal cells.
About This Topic
Students will investigate the specialized organelles within eukaryotic cells, comparing and contrasting the structures and functions found in plant and animal cells.
Key Questions
- Compare the lock-and-key and induced-fit models of enzyme-substrate interaction, evaluating which more accurately accounts for the catalytic activity observed with substrate analogues and the conformational flexibility seen in structural studies.
- Explain how enzymes lower activation energy by stabilising the transition state, and analyse how specific amino acid residues in the active site contribute to catalysis through acid-base catalysis, covalent intermediates, and metal ion coordination.
- Apply enzyme activity data to distinguish between enzyme denaturation and reversible inhibition when activity is lost, and propose an experimental protocol to differentiate between the two scenarios.
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