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Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity definitions

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  • Enzyme Activity
    Rate at which a catalyst converts substrate to product, influenced by substrate, enzyme levels, temperature, and pH.
  • Active Site
    Specific region on a catalyst where substrate molecules bind, enabling the conversion to product.
  • Substrate Concentration
    Amount of reactant available for binding, affecting the speed of product formation until all sites are occupied.
  • Enzyme Concentration
    Quantity of catalyst present, determining the number of available binding regions for reactants.
  • Saturation
    Condition where all binding regions are occupied, so adding more reactant does not increase conversion speed.
  • Unsaturated Condition
    State where not all binding regions are filled, allowing increased reactant to boost conversion speed.
  • Optimal Temperature
    Specific heat level where a catalyst functions at maximum efficiency, often around 37°C for many biological catalysts.
  • Denaturation
    Loss of three-dimensional structure, causing a catalyst to lose its ability to function properly.
  • Optimal pH
    Specific acidity or alkalinity range where a catalyst operates most efficiently, varying by type.
  • Physiological pH
    Acidity level near 7.4, typical for most biological systems, where many catalysts show peak efficiency.
  • Pepsin
    Catalyst in the stomach with peak efficiency in highly acidic environments, optimal near pH 1.7.
  • Amylase
    Catalyst in the mouth, functioning best in nearly neutral environments, optimal near pH 6.8.
  • Arginase
    Catalyst with peak efficiency in basic environments, optimal near pH 9.4.