Enzyme question

[mellon977]

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I'm kind of stuck between B and E. Anyone know the answer to this?
Enzymes are responsible for all the following EXCEPT:
a) acting as a catalyst for biological rxns
b) making a rxn proceed that would not have been able to proceed without the enzyme
c) increasing the rate of a spontaneous rxn
d) lowering the activation energy of a rxn
e) possessing on its surface active sites that "recognize" and bind to the reactants of the single rxn type catalyzed by the enzyme

I'm leaning towards "b" b/c I almost feel like "e" can be relative to the Induced Fit theory and not "b" b/c of the fact that reactions can still proceed without the enzyme...what do you think?

 

[tom_servo_dds]

I'm kind of stuck between B and E. Anyone know the answer to this?
Enzymes are responsible for all the following EXCEPT:
a) acting as a catalyst for biological rxns
b) making a rxn proceed that would not have been able to proceed without the enzyme
c) increasing the rate of a spontaneous rxn
d) lowering the activation energy of a rxn
e) possessing on its surface active sites that "recognize" and bind to the reactants of the single rxn type catalyzed by the enzyme

I'm leaning towards "b" b/c I almost feel like "e" can be relative to the Induced Fit theory and not "b" b/c of the fact that reactions can still proceed without the enzyme...what do you think?

a) acting as a catalyst for biological rxns - TRUE
b) making a rxn proceed that would not have been able to proceed without the enzyme - FALSE
c) increasing the rate of a spontaneous rxn - TRUE
d) lowering the activation energy of a rxn - TRUE
e) possessing on its surface active sites that "recognize" and bind to the reactants of the single rxn type catalyzed by the enzyme - TRUE

Explanations
a) one of the basic functions of enzymes is to act as catalyst for biological reactions.
b) false, although they do catalyze reactions in the body that normally would not happen as quickly on their own. (see link below)
c) yes, enzymes increase both the forward and reverse reactions. In essence, this means that they don't alter the equilibrium of the reaction.
d) they can be considered biological catalysts.
e) enzymes have been shown to be extremely specific for the reaction that they promote, similar in the sense to the specificity of hormones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme

 

[Futureortho24]

I agree that B is the false answer

 

[mellon977]

Thanks!!

 

[Mackerel]

I think you could make an argument for B to be true. Without the enzyme you may not have been able to overcome the energy of activation, though the overall reaction is spontaneous.

 

[allstardentist]

It is clearly B

 

[allstardentist]

Because there will always be a very very few molecules with enough energy to overcome that activation energy barrier without the help of an enzyme. It's just that with the help of enzyme, there will be much more molecules that overcome the Ea since it has been lowered.