Final answer:
Enzymes in living organisms are primarily made up of proteins, which are composed of amino acids. These proteins fold into specific shapes that allow them to catalyze biochemical reactions by lowering the reaction's activation energy and increasing the reaction rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most enzymes in living things are made up of proteins. These proteins are composed of long chains of amino acids that fold into specific three-dimensional structures, enabling them to catalyze biochemical reactions. For instance, enzymes like salivary amylase catalyze digestive processes by breaking down food components such as starch.
Enzymes function by binding to their specific substrates and lowering the activation energy of the biochemical reactions, which accelerates the reaction rates immensely without affecting the overall energy balance of the reaction. Furthermore, enzymes are highly specific, meaning they usually catalyze only one particular reaction or transform a specific set of reactants into a particular product.