BRAINCAKEEnzyme Structure
Enzymes have a specific 3D shape (tertiary structure) as a result of their amino-acid sequence.
A region of the enzyme, known as the active site, creates a small depression in the enzyme that is responsible for the enzyme's catalytic activity.
The substrate or substrates fit into the active site to form an enzyme-substrate complex because the shape of the active site is complementary to the shape of the substrate.
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Key terms in this lesson
- ionic bond
- A strong bond formed by the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.
- hydrogen bond
- A weak electrostatic attraction between a slightly positive hydrogen atom on one polar molecule and a slightly negative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen, on another.
- tertiary structure
- The further coiling and folding of a polypeptide into a specific three-dimensional shape, held by ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds and disulfide bridges between R-groups.