Page 108 - The Miracle of Protein

106 THE MIRACLE OF PROTEIN

ENZYME-SUBSTRATE COMPLEX
The protein, now having assumed its final form, can ac-
tively function in the body. Enzymes, are proteins that carry out

many important functions in the body. After they obtain their
final form through folding, an area called ‘active site’ appears.
This can be compared to the tip of a screwdriver, or the mouth
of the wrench or the place where the key enters in a lock. The
ultimate goal behind these folding is to ensure that the en-
zyme’s shape matches the three-dimensional shape of the mol-
ecule (substrate) they will bind to. For example, vitamins and
minerals in the food we consume or the various hormones in
our bodies all have three-dimensional shapes. Proteins recog-

nize these molecules and join them in a key-lock system in a
very precise manner. This combination is called the ‘enzyme-
substrate complex’. As a result, very crucial functions can be
carried out.

After the enzymes assume their final shape, a region called ‘active site’
forms on them. The molecule that the enzyme will attach to (substrate)
and this site match each other like a key and a lock.