... less energy to collide; enzymes and substrates don't find each other and lock. Each enzyme works most effectively at a certain temperature called the optimum temperature. Which is around 50?C, but over this temperature the enzyme rapidly decreases in rate of its action and becomes denatured from the heat. (fig.1) In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, the substrate (the substance to be acted upon) binds to the active site of the enzyme. The active site has a specific three-dimensional shape that corresponds to the appropriate substrate. This assures that only the substrate can bind to the enzyme and prevents the thousands of other compounds present in the cell from binding to the enzyme and interfering with the reaction. Once the substrate binds to the enzyme it is called an enzyme-substrate complex. This complex goes through the biochemical reactions and the products(s) of the reaction is released into solution. The enzyme molecule, like all catalysts, ...

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