Question

Define the term co-factor and discuss the type of co-factor and it's significance

Answer 1

A cofactor is a non-protein chemical compound or metallic ion that is required for an enzyme's activity. Cofactors can be considered "helper molecules" that assist in biochemical transformations. The rates at which these happen are characterized by enzyme kinetics.
Cofactors can be subclassified as either inorganic ions or complex organic molecules called coenzymes, the latter of which is mostly derived from vitamins and other organic essential nutrients in small amounts

Cofactors, mostly metal ions or coenzymes, are inorganic and organic chemicals that assist enzymes during the catalysis of reactions. Coenzymes are non-protein organic molecules that are mostly derivatives of vitamins soluble in water by phosphorylation; they bind apoenzyme to proteins to produce an active holoenzyme. Apoenzymes are enzymes that lack their necessary cofactor(s) for proper functioning; the binding of the enzyme to a coenzyme forms a holoenzyme. Holoenzymes are the active form of an apoenzyme.
holoenzyme


Cofactors can be metals or coenzymes, and their primary function is to assist in enzyme activity. They are able to assist in performing certain, necessary, reactions the enzyme cannot perform alone. They are divided into coenzymes and prosthetic groups. A holoenzyme refers to a catalytically active enzyme that consists of both apoenzyme (enzyme without its cofactor(s)) and cofactor.