Lock and Key🔐

1. ‘Lock and key hypothesis’ involves two molecules : the substrate and the enzyme.

1.1. The union between them takes place at the active site which a key fits in a lock and form an enzyme substrate complex.

2. the shape of the substrate molecules becomes slightly distorted. This lower the Ea of the reaction

2.1. this complex union results in the release of energy.

3. enzymes are specific in their reaction to substrate.

3.1. the degree of specificity varies from enzyme to enzyme.

4. the enzyme-substrate complex is highly unstable which immediately decomposes to produce the end product of the reaction and to regenerate the free enzyme.

5. An enzyme is specific because the structure of its active site is complementary to its substrates

5.1. The substrate is the ‘key‘ that fits exactly the enzyme ‘lock’.