Biochemistry : Enzyme Kinetics and Inhibition

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Biochemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #3 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

Which of the following is false about enzymes?

Possible Answers:

None of these answers are false

They change the equilibrium of product formation

They lower the activation energy of product formation

They are substrate-specific

They increase the rate of product formation

Correct answer:

They change the equilibrium of product formation

Explanation:

Enzymes are substrate specific molecules that lower the activation energy and increase the reaction rate of product formation. Enzymes do not change the equilibrium of product formation; this characteristic stays the same under the influence of enzymes. 

Example Question #11 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

The term that describes an enzyme's active site as one that undergoes a conformational change upon the binding of a substrate is known as __________.

Possible Answers:

cooperative binding

the induced fit model

the lock and key hypothesis

the active site model

affinity dependent binding

Correct answer:

the induced fit model

Explanation:

The question describes the "induced fit model", in which the binding of a substrate induces an actual change in the shape of the enzyme in order for the substrate to fit properly. This models differs from "the lock and key hypothesis" and "the active site model" (which are actually the same thing, and describes an enzyme and its substrate as fitting perfectly together). Cooperative binding is a concept that refers to binding becoming easier for subsequent molecules in comparison to previous molecules (the sixth molecule binds more readily than the fifth, which binds more readily than the fourth, etc.). Finally, affinity dependent binding is not a real term used in biochemistry (all binding is related to affinity anyway).

Example Question #12 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

All of the following are false regarding catalysts except __________.

Possible Answers:

that they change the  of a reaction.

that they can make non-spontaneous reactions occur.

All of the other choices are false statements regarding catalysts.

that they lower the Ea (activation energy) of a reaction

that they are consumed and not regenerated in a reaction.

Correct answer:

that they lower the Ea (activation energy) of a reaction

Explanation:

A catalyst works to speed up a reaction by lowering the Ea (activation energy), which is related to chemical kinetics. A catalyst has nothing to do with thermodynamics, and can neither change the  of a reaction, nor make a non-spontaneous one occur.

Additionally, by definition a catalyst is not consumed in a reaction, and it is regenerated after the reaction occurs. This allows for the possibility of a catalyst having an enormous impact on the rate of a reaction, as it is can once again exert its effects after being regenerated. 

Example Question #13 : Fundamentals Of Enzyme Kinetics

A 21-year-old man was brought to the emergency room by his fraternity brothers. He is known to be a chronic and uncontrolled alcoholic and has been drinking whiskey for the past 7 days when his friend found him in the hotel semicomatose. Bloodwork confirmed acidosis and a low blood glucose level. Which of the following reactions is increased, contributing to both his hypoglycemia and acidosis?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The most important concept about chronic alcoholism is based off the fact that the increased ratio of  from alcohol metabolism interferes with gluconeogenesis; 2) the conversion of pyruvate to lactate is favored, decreasing gluconeogenesis and increasing blood lactate. Pyruvate dehydrogenase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate. The conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA, catalyzed by alanine aminotransferase, does not require  and is not directly affected by this ratio. An increase in pyruvate to oxaloacetate (catalyzed by pyruvate carboxylase), is a reaction used in gluconeogenesis. If increased, it would favor this process or stimulate the citric acid cycle.

Example Question #13 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

Insulin is released when the body is in a well-fed state. Insulin stimulates which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Fatty acid degradation only

Uptake of glucose and Glycogen synthesis

Glycogen synthesis only

Fatty acid degradation and uptake of glucose

Correct answer:

Uptake of glucose and Glycogen synthesis

Explanation:

When the body is in a well fed state, insulin stimulates glycolysis (glucose uptake) and the first step to convert glucose to glucose-6-phosphatase.  When you have an increase of insulin, it stimulates protein phosphatase (PP1), which stimulates synthase while inhibiting phosphorylase. This leads to a decreased conversion of glycogen to glucose. Gluconeogeneisis occurs in the starvation state as well as fatty acid degradation.

Example Question #14 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

A reaction that is directly proportional to the reactant concentration is considered to be which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Bimolecular reaction

First order reaction

Third order reaction

Zeroth order reaction

Second order reaction

Correct answer:

First order reaction

Explanation:

A first order reaction is one in which the amount of product is dependent on only one reactant. For instance:

The above reaction is first order because the amount of product produced depends solely on the concentration of A. Therefore, a first order reaction is one in which the reaction is directly proportional to the reactant concentration.

Note: bimolecular reaction and second order reaction are synonymous.

Example Question #15 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

Which of the following is true of a molecule that binds to the allosteric site of an enzyme?

Possible Answers:

The molecule will always cause a change in the shape of the enzyme to inhibit its catalytic activity on the substrate

The molecule will always cause a change in the shape of the enzyme to enhance its catalytic activity on the substrate

The molecule will cause a conformational change which will affect the regulatory effects of the enzyme 

The molecule will always bind to the enzyme, but will cause no change in the catalytic activity of the enzyme

The molecule must have a similar molecular structure to that of the enzyme's substrate

Correct answer:

The molecule will cause a conformational change which will affect the regulatory effects of the enzyme 

Explanation:

A molecule that binds to an allosteric site on an enzyme does not necessarily have a similar structure to the actual substrate. That would only be the case for a molecule that binds to the enzyme's active site. Moreover, the molecule binding to the allosteric site will almost always cause a conformational change in the enzyme's structure, but it can either enhance or inhibit the catalytic activity by doing so.

Example Question #16 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

Which of the following is true of zero-order reactions?

Possible Answers:

Velocity is direction proportional to the substrate

Substrate concentration is below Km

Velocity is independent of substrate

All of these

Velocity is inversely proportional to substrate

Correct answer:

Velocity is independent of substrate

Explanation:

Zero order reactions are reactions in which the enzyme is saturated with substrate (in first order, the substrate concentration is below Km). The velocity in a zero-order reaction is independent of substrate concentration, therefore the two variables are not related. In a first order reaction, velocity is proportional to substrate concentration.

Example Question #17 : Enzyme Kinetics And Models

Which of the following is not a property of enzymes?

Possible Answers:

All of these statements are true concerning enzymes

No permanent changes in enzymes occur during the reactions they catalyze

Enzymes are highly specific for substrates

Enzymes do not change the concentrations of substrates and products at equilibrium

Acceleration of reactions results from enzyme's ability to decrease activation energy

Correct answer:

All of these statements are true concerning enzymes

Explanation:

All of the above statements are true concerning enzymes. They work to lower the activation energy of reactions and do not change the concentrations of substrates or products. They are highly specific and do not get changed by the reaction they are catalyzing.

Example Question #1 : Michaelis Menten Equation

For a given enzyme catalyzed reaction, the Michaelis constant is 0.6mM and the substrate concentration is 1.0mM. What is the fractional saturation of the enzyme under these conditions?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The fractional saturation of an enzyme is defined as the amount of enzyme that is bound to substrate divided by the total amount of enzyme. To calculate the fractional saturation, we'll need to use the Michaelis-Menton equation:

In addition, we'll need to define the rate and maximum rate in terms of enzyme concentrations:

From the above equations, we can calculate the fractional saturation of the enzyme:

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