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Ch. 4 - Body Weight and Health
Belk, Maier - Biology: Science for Life 6th Edition
Belk, Maier6th EditionBiology: Science for LifeISBN: 9780135214084Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 4, Problem 1

What is meant by the term induced fit?

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The term 'induced fit' refers to a model of enzyme-substrate interaction where the enzyme's active site undergoes a conformational change to better accommodate the substrate.
Initially, the enzyme and substrate may not fit perfectly together. However, when the substrate binds to the enzyme, it induces a change in the shape of the enzyme's active site.
This conformational change enhances the enzyme's ability to catalyze the reaction by aligning the substrate in the optimal position for the chemical reaction to occur.
The induced fit model is an improvement over the older 'lock and key' model, as it accounts for the flexibility of enzymes and their ability to adapt to different substrates.
This concept is crucial for understanding enzyme specificity and the mechanisms by which enzymes lower the activation energy of biochemical reactions.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Induced Fit Model

The induced fit model describes how enzymes and substrates interact. Unlike the lock-and-key model, which suggests a perfect fit, the induced fit model posits that the enzyme's active site undergoes a conformational change upon substrate binding. This flexibility enhances the enzyme's ability to catalyze reactions, as the active site molds itself around the substrate, improving the fit and facilitating the chemical reaction.
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Enzyme-Substrate Interaction

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy. The interaction between an enzyme and its substrate is crucial for catalysis. The substrate binds to the enzyme's active site, and the induced fit model illustrates how this binding can alter the enzyme's shape, optimizing the reaction process and increasing efficiency.
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Conformational Change

Conformational change refers to the alteration in the shape of a protein, such as an enzyme, in response to binding with another molecule, like a substrate. This change is essential for the function of many proteins, as it can activate or deactivate their activity. In the context of the induced fit model, the conformational change allows the enzyme to better accommodate the substrate, leading to a more effective catalytic process.
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