The process of an enzyme at work:
There are four steps in the working process –
Step-1 :
An enzyme and a substrate are in the same area. The substrate is the biological molecule that the enzymes will work on.
Step-2 :
A special region of the enzyme called the active site has a shape that fits with a specific substrate molecule. An enzyme works by binding one or more specific molecules called substrates at the active site. The enzymes and substrates form an enzyme-substrate complex. Then enzymes shape slightly changes.
Step-3 :
The interaction between the substrate and the enzyme stresses or weakens some of the chemical bonds in the substrates. These stresses encourage a link between the two substrates leading to the formation of a different molecule. As a result of the chemical interactions within the active site, a new product is formed.
Step-4 :
Then the product is released from the active site, the enzyme assumes its original shape and is free to work again. Although this reaction has specifically illustrated the formation of a single product from two substrates molecules, other enzymes catalyze the formation of two products from a single product.
Figure: shows that the action of the enzyme
