noncompetitive inhibition occurs when course hero

by Antonetta Nader 10 min read

What Is Noncompetitive Inhibition?

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions. Enzymes are highly specific, controlling only specific reactions. These biological catalysts work by lowering the activation energy for a reaction. Activation energy is the energy required for a reaction to take place.

How Does A Noncompetitive Inhibitor Affect Enzyme Action?

Enzymes are highly specific. A noncompetitive inhibitor binds to the enzyme at a site away from the active site called the allosteric site. This causes the shape of the enzyme to alter, preventing the substrate from binding to the active site. As a result, the reaction cannot occur, preventing the substrate from being converted into a product.

Enzyme Inhibition Graphs

Graphs, like the Michaelis-Menten Plot and Lineweaver-Burk Plot, can tell an individual a lot about how the enzyme functions by measuring how quickly it catalyzes a reaction. These graphs plot the substrate concentration vs. the rate of reaction. The rate of reaction is determined by measuring the amount of product formed per unit of time.

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