In: Biology
Since enzymes are essential in cellular function – it’s important to regulate their activity. There are several ways a cell can accomplish such regulation. How do cells regulate enzyme activity? (required minimum length 150 words)
Enzyme activity can be increased or decreased by using activator or inhibitor molecules that binds to the specific enzyme. Molecules that increases the activity of enzymes are called activators while that decreases the enzyme activity are called inhibitors.
Cellular need decides the enzyme activity. For example stomach cells need more enzyme activity immediately after the meal whereas it will be less between the meals. These cells will use specific molecules to regulate enzyme for promoting or inhibiting reactions.
All the enzymes have active site at which substrate binds to carryout reaction. Inhibition reactions can be either competitive or non- competitive. In competitive inhibition, an inhibitor will be similar to the substrate and hence it will compete with substrate to bind at active site of enzyme. In noncompetitive inhibition, inhibitor molecule will not be similar to the substrate and hence it will not compete to substrate for joining at active site. Instead it will join at allosteric site and change the shape of enzyme thus inhibiting the reaction.