Investigation into the functions, structure and reactions of enzymes

The majority of the reactions that occur in living organisms are enzyme-controlled. Without them, the rate of the reactions would be so slow as to cause serious, if not fatal, damage. Without enzymes toxins would soon build up and the supply of respiratory substrate would decrease. Enzymes are proteins and thus have a specific shape. They are therefore specific in the reactions that they catalyse - one enzyme will react with molecules of one substrate. …

…They bind with the enzyme, but not at the active site. This binding does change the shape of the enzyme though, so the reaction rate decreases Irreversible Inhibitors These molecules bind permanently with the enzyme molecule and so effectively reduce the enzyme concentration, thus limiting the rate of reaction, for example, cyanide irreversibly inhibits the enzyme cytochrome oxidase found in the electron transport chain used in respiration. If this cannot be used, death will occur.