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Enzymes can be classified as proteins. They serve as a catalyst, in other words molecules that speed up chemical reactions. They are able to do this by lowering te activation energy needed to start the reaction. They speed up over 4,000 biochemical reactions. To understand how enzymes are specific to a substrate, the "lock and key" analogy is used (see image below). For example, the enzyme sucrase only fits on the carbohydrate sucrose. Denaturing an enzyme, or take away it's natural qualities, can only be done by altering the pH or heat.
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