2.4.1 Actions of Enzymes

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Enzymes are protiens that spped up the rate of chemical reactions. Without them, bodily processes such as digestion would not happen.

Enzymes as biological catalysts:

  • its is not used up in the reaction itself
  • the catalyse metabolic reactions at a cellular level (e.g. respiration) and for the organism as a whole (e.g. digestion) 
  • they can be in cells- intracellular or outside of cells- extracellular
  • E.g. intracellular: breaking down toxic hydrogen peroxide into harmless water and oxygen 
  • E.g. extracellular: amylase and trypsin in the digestive system. amylase found in saliva is secreted into the mouth by cells in the salivary glands. It catalyses the hydrolysis of of starch into maltose in the mouth. Trypsin catalyses the hydrolysis of peptide bonds- turning big polypeptides into smaller ones. Its produced in the pancreas and secreted in…

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