HOW DO ENZYMES WORK?

Enzymes work by something called the lock-and-key hypothesis.


When the chemicals that are involved in a reaction get near an enzyme molecule, they ‘fit’ into part of the enzyme called the active site, just like how a key fits into a lock!


That is why enzymes are very specific!  The active site has to perfectly fit the substrate in order for reaction to take place.


The chemicals that are supposed to be fitted are called the substrates.


When the substrate fits into the active site, it forms something called the enzyme-substrate complex.

After they fit, the substrates will break off to become the product of the enzyme reaction, but the enzyme remains unaffected.


This allows it to catalyze another reaction again, and again, and again, and again until it can’t catalyze anymore!