Which of the following types of enzyme inhibition is overcome by increasing the substrate concentration?

• A. The need for a coenzyme.
• B. Noncompetitive inhibition.
• C. Competitive inhibition.
• D. None of the above.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of enzyme inhibition: Enzyme inhibitors are molecules that bind to enzymes and decrease their activity. There are different types of inhibition, including competitive and noncompetitive inhibition.
2. Define competitive inhibition: In competitive inhibition, the inhibitor molecule competes with the substrate for binding to the active site of the enzyme. This means that the inhibitor and the substrate cannot bind to the enzyme at the same time.
3. Explain how increasing substrate concentration affects competitive inhibition: In competitive inhibition, increasing the concentration of the substrate can overcome the effect of the inhibitor. This is because a higher concentration of substrate increases the likelihood that the substrate, rather than the inhibitor, will bind to the active site of the enzyme.
4. Contrast with noncompetitive inhibition: In noncompetitive inhibition, the inhibitor binds to a different site on the enzyme, not the active site. This means that increasing the substrate concentration does not affect the inhibitor's ability to bind to the enzyme and inhibit its activity.
5. Conclude with the correct answer: Since competitive inhibition can be overcome by increasing the substrate concentration, the correct answer to the problem is competitive inhibition.