3.2.B—Explain how the cellular environment affects enzyme activity

Explain how the cellular environment affects enzyme activity.

• The relative concentrations of substrates and products determine how efficiently an enzymatic reaction proceeds.
• Higher environmental temperatures increase the average speed of movement of molecules in a solution, increasing the frequency of collisions between enzymes and substrates and therefore increasing the rate of reaction until the optimal temperature is achieved.
• Competitive inhibitor molecules can bind reversibly to the active site of the enzyme. Noncompetitive inhibitors can bind to allosteric sites, changing the activity of the enzyme.