What is the role of co-enzyme in enzyme action?
1 Answer
Co enzymes are organic molecules that bind to enzymes and help them function.
Explanation:
Co enzymes are specific types of co factors that are organic, meaning - they contain carbon. They work with enzymes and many co enzymes are derived from vitamins.
These molecules bind loosely to enzymes and are often found at active sites of enzymes. They help in recognising, attracting or repulsing a substrate or product. Co enzymes can also shuttle chemical groups from one enzyme to another enzyme.
There are several ways co enzymes assist in enzyme functions including changing their shape to activate or turn on enzymes or aiding in chemical reactions by acting as carriers of energy or molecular groups.
For example ATP can function as a co enzyme. Cells use ATP to give energy to a reaction to assist in changing the substrate to product. The substrate can be temporarily phosphorylated, or have an added phosphate group. The phosphate group can then be removed and the product is formed partly through the addition and removal of a phosphate.
