Final answer:
A denatured enzyme is one that has lost its proper conformational shape, which is essential for its biological activity and catalytic function. This can be caused by changes in environmental conditions such as pH or temperature. Denaturation prevents the enzyme from adequately binding to or acting on its substrate.
Step-by-step explanation:
An enzyme that has lost its conformational shape is referred to as denatured. The active site of an enzyme is specifically tailored to bind to a substrate, and the binding often induces a conformational change in the enzyme to better fit the substrate, as described by the induced fit model. This flexibility is crucial for enzyme catalysis. Denaturation may result from changes in pH, temperature, or the presence of certain chemicals and can lead to the enzyme losing its functional shape, rendering it biologically inactive. A denatured enzyme cannot properly interact with its substrate, which significantly impacts its catalytic efficiency.
Enzymes are composed of amino acids that fold into specific three-dimensional structures (primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary) essential for their biological activity. These protein structures are critical as they possess an active site where substrates are converted into products, enabling the enzyme to act as a biological catalyst. Both the structure and flexibility of an enzyme's active site, as well as its ability to undergo conformational changes, are key to its functionality and the ability to be regulated, such as through allosteric regulation.