Macromolecules and Enzymes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macromolecules and Enzymes - Essay Example Effect of different physical parameters including temperature, enzyme concentration and pH was determined for the enzyme tyrosinase. Phenylthiourea, an inhibitor was also used to study its effect on the eznyme. Every living thing on earth is made of carbon, and each compound containing carbon is known as organic compound. Four kinds of major organic compounds are known carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Proteins are organic compounds made up of amino acids joined by peptide bonds between the amino and the carboxyl group of the adjacent amino acids. The proteins can be classified according to their structure; the linear chain of amino acid is called the primary amino acid. In secondary structure there occurs a regular repeating structure that is stabilized by hydrogen bonds. In tertiary structure the stabilization occurs by salt bridges, disulfide bonds, hydrogen bonds. Protein subunits combine together to form the quaternary structure. Enzymes are also an organic compound, basically a protein. â€Å"All enzymes are proteins, but all proteins are enzymes†. Enzymes are biocatalyst that speed up the rate of the reaction but do not take part in the reaction. Enzymes have active site, basically a group of amino acids that binds with the substrate, which further carry out the reaction to give a specific product. Enzymes are known for their specificity for substrates, although not all enzymes are specific. The rate of the reaction governed by enzymes is increased when the optimal conditions like temperature, pH, and substrates concentration are provided for the reaction. Two theories are known for the action of enzymes on substrates. 1. The lock and Key Mechanism and, 2) Induced fit theory. Enzymes are also inhibited by inhibitors, which can be substrate analog or any other compound that binds to the enzyme such a manner that the enzymes is unable to function. Inhibitors can be of two kinds, competitive, uncompetitive and non-competitive.