Characteristic of Enzyme

➢ Chemically enzymes are commonly globular proteins.

➢ Some RNA molecules called ribozymes can also be enzymes. 

➢ These are generally found in the nuclear region of cells and catalyze the splitting of RNA molecules. 

➢ Enzymes are catalysts that breakdown or synthesize more complex chemical compounds. 

➢ They allow chemical reactions to occur fast enough to support life. 

➢ Enzymes speed up the rate of chemical reactions because they lower the energy of activation, the energy that must be supplied in order for molecules to react with one another. 

➢ Anything that an enzyme normally combines with is called a substrate. 

➢ Enzymes are very effective. 

➢ An enzyme generally catalyze between 1 and 10,000 molecules of substrate per second. 

➢ Enzymes are only present in small amounts in the cell since they are not altered during their reactions. 

➢ They are highly specific for their substrate. Generally there is one specific enzyme for each specific chemical reaction