It is a protein that enables a biochemical reaction by altering the rate of the reaction.
It binds to a substrate and catalyses the reaction.
The enzyme structure and function remains unaltered even after the reaction catalysis is over.
Competitive inhibition :
The type of inhibition is in which an inhibitor inhibits the activity of an enzyme by binding in the active site of the enzyme where the substrate would bind.
The inhibitor has a similar structure to the substrate.
The inhibitor competes with the substrate for binding in the active site of the enzyme.
Example :
The enzyme of Krebs cycle succinate dehydrogenase catalyzes a reaction to convert succinate into fumarate.
Malonate acts as a competitive inhibitor because it has a similar structure to succinate, the inhibitor binds to the active site of succinate dehydrogenase and inhibits the reaction.
