... molecule actually comes into contact. This region is called the ACTIVE SITE. The active site of an enzyme is the region that binds the substrate and contributes the amino acid residues that directly participate in the making and breaking of chemical bonds. However, all enzymes operate only on a specific shape and therefore fits only complementary locks, so only substrates of a particular shape will fit the active site of an enzyme. Substrate Concentration- For a given amount of enzyme, the rate of an enzyme controlled reaction increases with increasing substrate concentration-up to a point. At low substrate concentrations, the active sites of the enzyme molecules are not all used- there simply are not enough substrate molecules to occupy them all. As the substrate concentration increases, more and more sites come into use. A point is reached, however, where all sites are being used. Inhibition- The rate of enzyme controlled reactions ...

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