An enzyme will specifically bind its substrate because of:
A) a tight lock-and-key binding mechanism.
B) a high number of hydrophobic amino acids in the center of the protein.
C) a large number of weak interactions at the active site.
D) additional nonprotein cofactors.
E) None of the above.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Enzymes bind their substrates through a large number of weak interactions at the active site, including hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions, and van der Waals forces. This creates a flexible and dynamic binding mechanism that allows for specific recognition of the substrate molecule. The lock-and-key binding model (A) is too rigid to account for the flexibility required for enzyme-substrate interactions. Hydrophobic amino acids may contribute to stability of the enzyme structure but are not the primary mechanism of substrate binding (B). Some enzymes require nonprotein cofactors for activity, but not all enzymes (D).

An Enzyme Will Specifically Bind Its Substrate Because Of