Enzymes are proteins that catalyze specific reactions within a cell. For catalysis to occur, they require a starting substance to bind directly to the enzyme. What must be true for this binding to happen correctly?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Enzymes and their substrates (starting substances) must have complementary shapes for the binding to occur, allowing the enzyme to catalyze the reaction efficiently. This is often referred to as the "lock and key" model, where the enzyme is the lock and the substrate is the key.

Enzymes Are Proteins That Catalyze Specific Reactions Within a Cell