LIFE 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Drug Design, Cellular Respiration, Allosteric Regulation
Document Summary
In an enzymatic reaction, the substrate binds to the active site of the enzyme. The active site can lower the activation energy barrier by: Cofactors are non-protein enzyme helpers (i. e. drill bit) May be inorganic (such as metal or ionic form) or organic. An organic cofactor is called a coenzyme. Coenzymes includes vitamins (a, b12, c, d3, e) Competitive inhibitors bind to the active site of an enzyme, competing with the substrate. Non-competitive inhibitors bind to another part of an enzyme, causing the enzyme to change shape and making the active site less effective. Examples of inhibitors include toxins, poisons, pesticides, and antibiotics. A cell regulates metabolic pathways at two levels. Switching on or off the genes that encode specific enzymes. May either inhibit or stimulate an enzyme"s activity. Occurs when a regulatory molecule binds to a protein at one site and affects the protein"s function at another site. Most allosterically regulated enzymes are made from polypeptide subunits.
