Enzymes, the biochemical catalysts possess the following important characteristics.
Some enzymes are potentially damaging if they are manufactured in their active from. For example, pepsin is a powerful protien – digesting enzyme and is quite capable of destroying cel’s internal structure and thus is produced in inactive pepsinogen from by the cell. It is converted in its active from only in the digestive trac where it is required to be active.
- All enzymes are globular proteins.
- They increase the rate of reaction without themselves being used up.
- Their presence does not affect the nature ro properties of end products.
- Small amounts of an enzyme can accelerate chemical reaction.
- They are very specific in their action; a single enzyme catalyzes only a single chemical reaction or a group of related reactions.
- They are sensitive to even a minor change in pH, temperature and substrate concentration.
- Some enzymes require a co-factor fro their proper functioning.
- They lower the activation energy of the reactions.