In: Chemistry
Biochemistry
Compare and contrast reversible and irreversible inhibitors. What do they do, and what is their chemica makeup that allos them to do what they do? use an example
Irreversible Inhibition Process
An irreversible inhibitor is the one, which inactivates an enzyme by bonding covalently to a group at the active site. The inhibitor-enzyme bond is very strong such that the inhibition cannot be changed back to original by the addition of excess substrate.
Example - The nerve gases like DIFP irreversibly inhibit biological systems. It forms an enzyme-inhibitor complex with a specific hydroxyl group of serine present at the active sites of enzymes.
The peptidases chymotrypsin and trypsin contain serine groups wich are situated at the active site and are inhibited by DIFP.
Reversible Inhibition Process
A reversible inhibitoris the one which inactivates an enzyme through noncovalent which can be easily reversed.
It is not like an irreversible inhibitor.
The reversible inhibitor dissociates from the enzyme.
Reversible inhibitors are of two types-
Competitive inhibitors and noncompetitive inhibitors.
A competitive inhibitor is the one which bears a structural resemblance to a particular substrate.
It competes with that substrate for binding at the active site.
The enzyme does not act on the inhibitor but does prevent the substrate from approaching the active site.