What is denaturation and inactivation in enzymes?
The funtionality of an enzyme (enzymes are proteins) is all about the shape of the particular enzyme, called the tertiary structure. Proteins are polymers made up of lots of amino acids joined together. They are very large molecules. The tertiary structure (It’s shape) of a protein is formed by interactions between all the functional groups on the amino acids with each other. These interactions cause the protien to fold up on itself and hold it together in a particular shape. The shape of the protein is how it is able to act as an enzyme. For example, the shape of a particular enzyme may allow it to bind with two compounds and then bring them close together so they can react. Denaturing of an enzyme occurs when the attractions between the funtional groups of the protein are broken. This results in the tertiary structure of the protein being lost, becuase the forces keeping it that shape are no longer doing so. Since the tertiary structure of the protein gives it it’s funtionallity then
