Cofactors

Question	Answer
What are cofactors?	Non-protein substances which bind to enzymes and allow them to work
What are the 3 types of cofactors?	Inorganic cofactors Coenzymes Prosthetic groups
What is the role of inorganic cofactors?	Inorganic cofactors help the enzyme and substrate to bind together. They don't directly participate in the reaction so are not used up or changed
TRUE OR FALSE: Inorganic cofactors remain unchanged in a reaction	TRUE
Give an example of an inorganic cofactor	Amylase only digests starch to maltose if chloride ions (Cl⁻) are present
What are coenzymes?	Organic molecules that bind temporarily to the active site. They often act as carriers, moving chemical groups between different enzymes; they are continually recycled Image: Image (binary/octet-stream)
TRUE OR FALSE: Coenzymes remain chemically unchanged during a reaction	FALSE Coenzymes are chemically changed and need to be converted to their original state before reuse
Give an example of coenzymes	Vitamins are sources of coenzymes Therefore, a lack of vitamins means enzymes will not work properly
How do prosthetic groups work?	They permanently bind to an enzyme by covalent bonds
Give an example of prosthetic groups	Zinc ions (Zn²⁺) are a prosthetic group for carbonic anhydrase (an enzyme in red blood cells which catalyses the production of carbonic acid from water and CO₂)

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	Created by Yinka F about 6 years ago