Enzymes: The Catalysts of Life | 酶：生命的催化剂

📚 Enzymes: The Catalysts of Life | 酶：生命的催化剂

Enzymes are biological molecules that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms without being used up. They are essential for processes such as digestion, respiration, and photosynthesis. In this revision guide, we will explore the structure, function, and real-world applications of enzymes, with clear links to your IGCSE Edexcel Science specification.

酶是在生物体内加速化学反应的生物分子，它们自身不会被消耗。酶对于消化、呼吸和光合作用等过程至关重要。在本复习指南中，我们将深入探讨酶的结构、功能及其实际应用，并明确对应 Edexcel IGCSE 科学考纲的考点。

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1. What Are Enzymes? | 什么是酶？

Enzymes are proteins made up of long chains of amino acids folded into a specific 3D shape. This shape is critical to their function. Each enzyme has an active site, a region where the substrate (the reactant) binds and undergoes a reaction.

酶是由氨基酸长链折叠成特定三维形状的蛋白质。这种形状对其功能至关重要。每种酶都有一个活性位点，即底物（反应物）结合并发生反应的区域。

The general equation for an enzyme-catalysed reaction is:

Substrate + Enzyme → Enzyme-Substrate complex → Product + Enzyme

Notice that the enzyme is unchanged at the end of the reaction, meaning it can be reused again and again.

注意，酶在反应结束时没有变化，这意味着它能够被反复使用。

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2. The Lock-and-Key Model | 锁钥模型

The lock-and-key model describes how an enzyme’s active site has a fixed shape that exactly matches the shape of its substrate. The enzyme is the ‘lock’ and the substrate is the ‘key’. Only the correct substrate fits into the active site, like a key fitting into a specific lock.

锁钥模型描述了酶活性位点具有固定形状，恰好与其底物的形状匹配。酶是“锁”，底物是“钥匙”。只有正确的底物才能进入活性位点，就像钥匙只能插入特定的锁一样。

This explains why enzymes are specific: one enzyme normally catalyses only one reaction or one type of reaction. For example, amylase only breaks down starch, not proteins or fats.

这解释了酶的特异性：一种酶通常只催化一种或一类反应。例如，淀粉酶只分解淀粉，而不分解蛋白质或脂肪。

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3. Induced Fit Model | 诱导契合模型

The induced fit model is a more modern explanation. It states that the active site is not a rigid shape but is flexible. When the substrate binds, the active site changes shape slightly to ‘wrap around’ the substrate, creating a better fit. This strain helps break bonds in the substrate and lowers the activation energy.

诱导契合模型是一个更新的解释。该模型认为活性位点不是刚性形状，而是柔性的。当底物结合时，活性位点会稍微改变形状以“包裹”底物，从而实现更紧密的匹配。这种应变有助于打断底物的化学键，降低活化能。

Both models emphasise that the shape of the active site is complementary to the substrate. If the enzyme denatures, the active site changes shape and the substrate can no longer bind.

两种模型都强调活性位点与底物的形状互补。如果酶变性，活性位点形状改变，底物就无法再结合了。

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4. Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity | 影响酶活性的因素

Several factors affect how quickly an enzyme works:

影响酶工作速度的因素有多个：

• Temperature: Higher temperatures increase molecular movement and collisions, but very high temperatures denature enzymes.
• pH: Each enzyme has an optimum pH. Extreme pH levels can denature the enzyme.
• Enzyme concentration: More enzyme molecules means more active sites, so the reaction is faster (up to a point).
• Substrate concentration: More substrate means more frequent collisions, but the rate plateaus when all active sites are occupied.

• 温度：升高温度会增加分子运动和碰撞，但过高的温度会使酶变性。
• pH：每种酶都有一个最适pH。极端pH会使酶变性。
• 酶浓度：酶分子越多，活性位点越多，因此反应更快（在一定范围内）。
• 底物浓度：底物越多，碰撞越频繁，但当所有活性位点都被占据时，反应速率趋于平稳。

For a quick revision, you should be able to describe and sketch graphs for each of these factors.

快速复习时，你应该能够描述并绘制上述每个因素对应的曲线图。

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5. Temperature and Enzyme Activity | 温度与酶活性

As temperature increases from 0 °C to the optimum (usually around 37 °C in the human body), the rate of reaction increases. This is because particles gain kinetic energy, so the substrate is more likely to collide with the active site with enough energy.

当温度从 0 °C 升高到最适温度（人体内通常约 37 °C）时，反应速率增大。这是因为颗粒获得动能，底物更有可能以足够的能量碰撞到活性位点。

Above the optimum temperature, the rate sharply decreases. Heat breaks the weak bonds that hold the enzyme’s 3D structure together. The active site changes shape, and the enzyme is said to be denatured.

超过最适温度后，反应速率急剧下降。热量会破坏维持酶三维结构的弱键。活性位点改变形状，即酶发生变性。

Rate-temperature graph: rising curve to optimum, then sharp decline.

速率-温度曲线：先上升至最适温度，然后急剧下降。

Denaturation is irreversible. Cooling an enzyme does not denature it; it just slows it down.

变性是不可逆的。冷却酶不会使其变性，只会使其速度减慢。

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6. pH and Enzyme Activity | pH 与酶活性

Every enzyme has an optimum pH. For most enzymes in the human body, the optimum is around pH 7. However, pepsin in the stomach works best at pH 2, because the stomach is very acidic.

每种酶都有一个最适pH。人体内大多数酶的最适pH约为7。然而，胃中的胃蛋白酶在pH 2时酶活性最强，因为胃环境是强酸性的。

If the pH is too high or too low, the concentration of H⁺ or OH⁻ ions disrupts the hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds in the enzyme. This changes the shape of the active site, causing denaturation.

如果pH过高或过低，H⁺或OH⁻离子的浓度会破坏酶中的氢键和离子键。这会改变活性位点的形状，导致酶变性。

The graph for pH is bell-shaped, peaking at the optimum pH.

pH对酶活性的曲线呈钟形，在最适pH处达到峰值。

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7. Enzyme Concentration and Substrate Concentration | 酶浓度与底物浓度

When substrate concentration is fixed and enzyme concentration increases, the initial rate of reaction increases proportionally. More active sites are available, so more enzyme-substrate complexes form per second.

当底物浓度固定而酶浓度增加时，初始反应速率成比例增加。因为可用的活性位点更多，每秒钟形成的酶-底物复合物也更多。

When enzyme concentration is fixed and substrate concentration increases, the rate increases at first, then reaches a plateau. At the plateau, all active sites are occupied, so adding more substrate cannot speed up the reaction.

当酶浓度固定而底物浓度增加时，速率一开始增大，然后达到平台期。在平台期，所有活性位点都被占用，所以继续增加底物无法加快反应。

You should be able to label the plateau ‘limiting factor reached’. The limiting factor is the enzyme concentration.

你应该能在平台处标注“达到限制因素”。此时限制因素是酶浓度。

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8. Inhibition | 抑制作用

Inhibitors are molecules that reduce or stop enzyme activity. There are two main types: competitive and non-competitive inhibitors.

抑制剂是降低或阻止酶活性的分子。主要有两类：竞争性抑制剂和非竞争性抑制剂。

Type | 类型	How it works | 作用方式	Effect on Vmax
Competitive | 竞争性	Similar shape to substrate; blocks the active site. | 与底物形状相似，占据活性位点。	Can be overcome by higher substrate concentration. | 可通过增加底物浓度克服。
Non-competitive | 非竞争性	Binds elsewhere, changing the active site shape. | 结合在其他位置，改变活性位点形状。	Cannot be overcome by substrate. | 无法通过增加底物克服。

In cells, inhibitors help control metabolic pathways. For example, the final product of a pathway may inhibit an enzyme earlier in the sequence. This is called end-product inhibition.

在细胞中，抑制剂有助于控制代谢途径。例如，一个途径的最终产物可能会抑制序列前面的酶。这称为终产物抑制。

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9. Applications of Enzymes in Industry | 酶在工业中的应用

Enzymes are widely used in biotechnology because they are specific, work at low temperatures, and are biodegradable.

酶在生物技术中广泛使用，因为它们具有特异性、在低温下工作且可生物降解。

Examples include:

例如：

• Biological detergents: Protease and lipase are added to remove protein and fat stains.
• Biological detergents | 生物洗衣粉：添加蛋白酶和脂肪酶，用于去除蛋白质和脂肪污渍。
• Food industry: Glucose isomerase converts glucose into fructose, which is sweeter and used in soft drinks.
• 食品工业：葡萄糖异构酶将葡萄糖转化为果糖，果糖更甜，用于软饮料。
• Medicine: Enzymes are used in test kits, such as glucose biosensors for diabetics.
• 医学：酶用于检测试剂盒，例如糖尿病患者使用的葡萄糖生物传感器。

Immobilised enzymes are often used in industry. They are attached to a solid support, so they can be recovered and reused, making the process cheaper and more efficient.

工业中常用固定化酶。它们被附着在固体载体上，因此可以被回收并重复使用，使过程更便宜、更高效。

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10. Exam Tips for IGCSE Edexcel Science | 考试要点提示

In exams, look out for key command words:

在考试中，注意关键词指令：

• Describe: Give details of the graph or process (e.g., ‘rate increases then decreases’).
• Explain: Use scientific reasons (e.g., ‘bonds break, active site changes shape, enzyme denatures’).
• Suggest: Apply your knowledge to a new context, such as why an enzyme works in a particular industrial process.

• 描述（Describe）：给出图形或过程的细节（例如“速率先增大后减小”）。
• 解释（Explain）：使用科学原因（例如“键断裂，活性位点改变形状，酶变性”）。
• 建议（Suggest）：将知识应用于新情境，例如解释为什么某种酶适合特定工业过程。

Always remember to use the terms ‘active site’, ‘denatured’, and ‘optimum’. For graph questions, label axes with units and mark the optimum point clearly.

始终记住使用“活性位点”、“变性”和“最适”等术语。对于作图题，要标明坐标轴和单位，并清晰标注最适点。

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Published by TutorHao | Science Revision Series | aleveler.com

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