Question

Proteins are dynamic molecules that are capable of ________ motion that can have important functional relevance. The existence of this type of motion has suggested that enzymes are capable - even in the absence of substrate - of many of the same movements that can be detected during their catalytic cycle.

1) extrinsic
2) intrinsic
3) instant
4) built-in
5) intrinsic and built-in

Answer 1

Proteins exhibit intrinsic motion which enables enzymes to perform dynamic changes during their catalytic cycle, allowing them to interact optimally with substrates and regulate biochemical reactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Proteins are dynamic molecules capable of intrinsic motion that is critically important for their function, including enzymes which display these motions even without their substrate being present.

Enzymes, crucial biological catalysts produced by living cells, are specialized proteins that facilitate biochemical reactions. Each enzyme is specific to its substrate, and through its intrinsic flexibility, it can perform a variety of dynamic motions during its catalytic cycle. These motions are essential, as enzymatic activity involves changes in the shape and structure of the enzyme to optimally interact with substrates and accelerate chemical reactions involved in processes like metabolism. This is exemplified in mechanisms such as the 'induced fit' model, where both enzyme and substrate undergo conformational adjustments for efficient binding and catalysis.

The motion described attributes to enzymes being more than static entities; they are, in fact, dynamic structures that undergo changes during different functional states, driven in part by the kinetic energy associated with their molecular environment. Such motions include bending, twisting, and other conformational alterations critical for their role in metabolism and other cellular processes.