Which one of the follwing statements describes best the common features of enzyme active sites?

Question

Which one of the follwing statements describes best the common features of enzyme active sites?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question restatement: Which one of the follwing statements describes best the common features of enzyme active sites?

Option 1: Active sites are normally accesible to the solvent
This statement is often debated. While some active sites are exposed to solvent, many are located in a pocket or cleft that can limit solvent access. Therefore this is not universally true and is not the best general description of active sites.

Option 2: Active sites reach saturation when there is the minimal substrate concentration
Saturation occurs when increasing substrate concentration leads to maximal rate (Vmax) and typically requires much higher than minimal substrate levels. The notion of saturation at minimal substrate concentration is incorrect, so this option is false.

Option 3: they represent a small volume of the enzyme total
This is conceptually accurate. Active sites occupy only a tiny region of the whole enzyme and are formed by a constellation of residues that create a specific geometry and chemistry for substrate binding and catalysis. The small, specialized pocket or groove is a hallmark feature common to enzymes.

Option 4: active sites are composed of aminoacids right next to each other in the primary sequence
This is misleading. Active sites are typically formed by residues that may be distant in the primary sequence but come together in the folded three-dimensional structure. They are not constrained to be adjacent in the linear sequence, so this statement is incorrect.

Putting these together, the statement that best captures the common features of enzyme active sites is that they represent a small volume of the enzyme total. This reflects the idea that the site is a localized, specialized region, often formed by residues that may be brought together in 3D space rather than in sequence proximity.

Which one of the follwing statements describes best the common features of enzyme active sites?

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