Final answer:
Enzymes are a type of protein that act as catalysts to speed up biochemical reactions in cells. They are critical for vital processes like metabolism and DNA replication, and their activity can be influenced by various factors like temperature and pH.
Step-by-step explanation:
Relationship Between Enzymes and Proteins
Enzymes and proteins have a deeply interwoven relationship. Proteins are composed of long chains of amino acids that fold into specific three-dimensional structures which determine their activity. A significant function of some proteins is to act as enzymes, which are biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions within the cell. These enzymes, typically highly specific to their substrates, can drastically increase the rate of biochemical reactions, essential for processes such as metabolism and DNA replication.
Each enzyme, while being a protein itself, exhibits a unique characteristic known as catalytic activity, defined by its ability to increase reaction rates. Factors such as temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and enzyme concentration can influence this enzymatic activity since most enzymes are proteins and share the same vulnerabilities pertaining to their structural integrity.
Enzymes can be classified by their function: catabolic enzymes break down substrates, anabolic enzymes build more complex molecules, and catalytic enzymes alter the rate of reaction. An illustrative example of an enzyme's function is salivary amylase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of amylose, a major constituent of starch.