An oft-used analogy for how enzymes work is that of a lock and a key. A particular molecule, the key, fits into a site in the enzyme, the lock. Once the key is in the lock, the enzyme can start ...

The “lock and key” model was first proposed in 1894. In this model, an enzyme’s active site is a specific shape, and only the substrate will fit into it, like a lock and key. A newer model ...

This area of an enzyme is called an active site. The molecules that enzymes act upon are called substrates. An enzyme is specific for its substrate or substrates like a key is for its lock.

Different enzymes contain up to 20 different amino acids linked together to form a chain which then folds into the globular enzyme shape. Enzymes have active sites which only match specific ...

Enzymes are biological molecules (typically proteins) that significantly speed up the rate of virtually all of the chemical reactions that take place within cells. They are vital for life and ...