What is an enzyme?

An enzyme is a biological catalyst that enables reactions to occur by decreasing the activation energy they need. Not only would certain reactions not take place without the enzyme, they are also important in speeding up reactions, which is vital for certain biological processes and for the survival of organisms. An enzyme has an active site, which is specific for a given substrate, which allows it to catalyze only the reactions it's tailored for. 

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Answered by Kristina F. Biology tutor

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