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Multiple Choice
Why is enzyme action similar to the action of a key fitting into a lock in terms of chirality?
A
Enzymes are achiral and can interact with any substrate regardless of chirality.
B
Enzymes are non-specific and can interact with substrates of any shape.
C
Enzymes change their chirality to match the substrate.
D
Enzymes are chiral and can only interact with substrates of specific chirality.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of chirality: Chirality in chemistry refers to a molecule's property of having a non-superimposable mirror image, much like left and right hands. This is crucial in biological systems where molecules often exist in chiral forms.
Recognize the nature of enzymes: Enzymes are biological catalysts that are typically proteins. They are chiral because they are made up of amino acids, which are chiral themselves. This chirality is essential for their function.
Explore the lock-and-key model: This model suggests that enzymes have specific active sites that fit only certain substrates, much like a key fits into a specific lock. This specificity is due to the three-dimensional shape and chirality of the enzyme's active site.
Relate chirality to enzyme specificity: Because enzymes are chiral, they can distinguish between different enantiomers (chiral molecules that are mirror images of each other). This means that an enzyme will typically only interact with one enantiomer of a substrate, not both.
Conclude with the correct statement: Enzymes are chiral and can only interact with substrates of specific chirality, which aligns with the lock-and-key model where the enzyme's active site is complementary to the substrate's shape and chirality.