BIOMOLECULES AND ENZYMES

Detailed explanation-1: -An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to an enzyme and blocks its activity. Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions necessary for life, in which substrate molecules are converted into products.

Detailed explanation-2: -An irreversible inhibitor inactivates an enzyme by bonding covalently to a particular group at the active site. A reversible inhibitor inactivates an enzyme through noncovalent, reversible interactions. A competitive inhibitor competes with the substrate for binding at the active site of the enzyme.

Detailed explanation-3: -Competitive inhibition can be reversed by increasing the substrate concentration. If the substrate predominates in the mixture, it will tend to displace the inhibitor bound to the enzyme.

Detailed explanation-4: -A substance that permanently blocks the action of an enzyme. In cancer treatment, irreversible enzyme inhibitors may block certain enzymes that cancer cells need to grow and may kill cancer cells. They are being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer.

Detailed explanation-5: -Usually, the irreversible inhibitor forms a covalent bond with the enzyme. This typically involves a reaction of the inhibitor with an amino acid residue at the active site of the enzyme. The reaction of aspirin with cyclooxygenase is an example of irreversible enzyme inhibition.