Work with your table teammates to answer these questions.

Each student MUST submit their

own answers. Use your textbook to help you provide DETAILED responses. Remember that
complete thoughts are expected.

1. Enzymes are catalytic molecules, that is they speed up the rates of reactions.
A. Explain why enzymes are necessary in biological systems. Enzymes function as many
things like being catalyst which speeds up the rate of reaction in our body without changing and
for the breakdown of foods(there are different types of enzymes for different jobs) for example
the protease enzymes break down protein.
B. Define THREE control mechanisms that regulate enzymatic activity. Give a biological
example of each.


2. Describe the structure and function of enzymes, explain the factors that affect enzyme
activity and describe how enzyme activity is regulated. Every enzyme is shaped differently. It
has something called an active site. It is "shape-specific,." meaning, the active site "fits" exactly
to the shape of a substrate, like a lock and key. Once the enzyme and substrate hook up, the
enzyme becomes active and begins to break down the substrate.Enzymes can be affected by
many other molecules, there are inhibitors that decrease the enzyme activity, activators are
molecules that increase the enzyme activity. the enzyme can also be affected by the temp, ph
levels, the concentration of the substrate and the chemical environment. Enzyme Regulation is
done in two basic ways: 1Control of Enzyme Activity Level A. Non Covalent modifiers cause
conformational change between less active and more active states of the enzyme - eg. allosteric
control and feedback inhibition of metabolic pathways B. Covalent Modification causes
interconversion between inactive and active forms of the enzyme . by adding phosphate.
2Control the Amount of the Enzyme
3. 15 pts Extra Credit: Design an experiment to test the effect of environmental factors on
enzyme activity.