answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

The Lock and Key Analogy of Enzymes and Substrates:

Enzymes act as a catalyst in a given chemical reaction (for example, lactase allows lactose to break down into Glucose and Galactose); enzymes lower the amount of energy required to make a reaction occur. There is a key concept to this theory: Enzymes are designed work for only one reaction; there is only one key that fits the lock perfectly.

Without enzymes, our bodies wouldn't be able to handle the amount of heat the reactions that occur inside if there weren't any enzymes (or the reactions just wouldn't occur!

In the Lock and Key Analogy, the substrate (Lactose in the example) is the "key". The key must fit perfectly into the active site that is on the enzyme, or the "key hole in the lock (Lactase is the Lock in the example). The substrate will then break down into its products (which in the example would be the Glucose and Galactose).

This can happen in different ways: 1) two (or more) substrates can bind onto the same active and combine to form one product; 2) one substrate can bind onto an active site and break down to form two (or more) products.

.....

Here is a picture of what the Lock and Key Theory looks like:

http://i677.Photobucket.com/albums/vv133/erica46829/LockandKeyTheory.jpg

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

AnswerBot

3mo ago

The lock and key analogy for enzymes describes how enzymes only bind to specific substrates (like a lock and key fitting together). The active site of an enzyme is shaped to fit only certain molecules, allowing for specific chemical reactions to occur. This specificity ensures that enzymes are highly efficient in catalyzing reactions.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What is the lock and key analogy for enzymes?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Biology

Which substances fit together like a lock and key?

Enzymes and their specific substrates fit together like a lock and key. Enzymes have specific binding sites that perfectly match the shape of their substrates, allowing for efficient catalysis of specific chemical reactions. This lock-and-key model is essential for the specificity and efficiency of enzyme-substrate interactions.


What does it mean to say that a protein functions by a lock and key model?

The lock and key model suggests that proteins interact with other molecules in a specific and precise manner, similar to how a lock only fits with a specific key. In this model, the protein (lock) is complementary in shape to the molecule it interacts with (key), ensuring a precise and selective binding interaction.


What is lock and key model?

The lock and key model is a concept in biochemistry that describes the specificity of enzyme-substrate interactions. It states that an enzyme (the lock) is specific to its substrate (the key) due to the complementary shapes of the molecules. Only when the substrate fits perfectly into the enzyme's active site can the reaction occur.


Why do enzymes have an active site?

The structure of an enzymes and its active site determine which substrates will work for the enzyme. This is called the lock and key method. The active site is the lock and the substrate is the key.


How are substrates like keys and enzymes like locks?

Substrates are molecules that fit into the active site of an enzyme, much like a key fits into a lock. The active site of the enzyme has a specific shape that only allows substrates with a complementary shape to bind, similar to how a lock only opens with the correct key. This specificity ensures that enzymes only catalyze specific reactions with specific substrates.

Related questions

How does the lock and key help analogy explain enzymes?

The lock and key analogy describes how enzymes interact with specific substrates. Like a key fitting precisely into a lock, enzymes have a specific active site that binds to a substrate of a particular shape, facilitating the chemical reaction. This specificity ensures that enzymes can catalyze specific reactions efficiently.


Explain why a lock and key are used to descrive the way an enzyme works describe any ways in which the analogy is NOT perfect?

The lock and key analogy is used to describe how an enzyme interacts with a specific substrate, much like a key fitting into a lock. This analogy emphasizes the specificity of enzyme-substrate interactions. However, it does not fully capture the dynamic nature of enzyme-substrate binding, as enzymes can change shape to accommodate substrates (induced fit model). Additionally, it does not account for factors like enzyme cooperativity or allosteric regulation.


What are all the enzymes that use the lock and key model?

ALL enzymes use the lock and key model!


Why is the key and lock analogy for enzymes needed?

For every one of the tens of thousands of biological enzymatically controlled Biochemical Reactions, Just One Enzyme Has Utter And Complete Control over it's Reaction. One Lock is Operated, as expected, by just One Key.


What is the structural classification of enzymes?

I believe it is a "Key in a lock" formation


What is considered a model for enzymes actions?

the answer is lock and key model .


How does the lock and key mechanism work?

The lock and key mechanism describes how enzymes interact with specific substrates. Enzymes have active sites that bind to complementary substrates like a key fitting into a lock. This specific binding allows the enzyme to catalyze a chemical reaction with the substrate.


Which substances fit together like a lock and key?

Enzymes and their specific substrates fit together like a lock and key. Enzymes have specific binding sites that perfectly match the shape of their substrates, allowing for efficient catalysis of specific chemical reactions. This lock-and-key model is essential for the specificity and efficiency of enzyme-substrate interactions.


A good analogy for the way in which a neurotransmitter binds to receptor sites is?

a key fitting in the lock of a door


What is lock and key?

Lock and key is a metaphor used to describe the specificity of interactions between molecules or receptors. In this analogy, the lock represents a specific binding site on a molecule, and the key represents the molecule that fits into that binding site perfectly to create a biological response. This concept is fundamental in understanding how molecules interact in biological systems.


What is key and lock theory?

It is when the enzyme (lock) fits exactly into the substrate (key) forming an enzyme substrate complex. It refers to enzymes and their substrates. The enzyme has an active site (lock) where the substrate that is complemetary fits in (key). Only substrates that fit perfectly into the enzymes active site will active the particular reaction, just like only 1 specific key will open a door.


Which 2 substances bind using a lock-and-key mechanism?

Enzymes and substrates bind using a lock-and-key mechanism. The enzyme's active site (lock) has a specific shape that fits with the substrate (key), allowing for a precise and efficient chemical reaction to occur.