Enzymes exhibit four fundamental characteristics. First, enzymes do not
make a reaction occur that would not occur on its own, they just make it
happen much faster. Second, the enzyme molecule is not permanently altered
by the reaction. It may be changed transiently, but the enzyme at the end
of the reaction is the same molecule it was at the beginning. Therefore, a
single enzyme molecule can be used over and over to
catalyze
the same reaction. Third, an enzyme can catalyze both the forward and the
reverse reaction. One direction may be more favorable than the other, but
the unfavorable direction of the reaction can occur. Fourth, enzymes are
highly specific for the substrates they bind, meaning they catalyze only
one reaction.
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