In: Chemistry
Describe, in detail, the statement that ‘enzymes are biocatalysts’. Be sure to include reference to thermodynamics and energy of activation.
A catalyst is a chemical reagent that enchance the rare of reaction without being used in the reaction. When biomolecules involve in this catlaysis process in living system, it is called as biocatalyst.
Enzymes are known as biocatalyst because they are involved in the chemical or organic transformations of the compounds inside the cell. Enzymes are generally big folded protein molecules. Enzymes contain an active site where the desired molecule, the substrate, can enter and bind to, allowing the reaction to proceed. Every enzyme has a specific active site shape which is complementary to the shape of a specific substrate.Enzymes perform chemoselective, regio selective and enantioselective type of chemical reactions.
Many enzymes have been named by adding the suffix "-ase" to the name of their substrate or to a word or phrase describing their activity. Example phosphotransferase.