Maltose is hydrolysed by the enzyme maltase. Explain why maltase catalyses only this reaction.

The enzyme maltose will always fold into in a tertiary structure, which results in the active site being in a specific shape that only the substrate maltase can bind to. This is often illustrated using the analogy of a lock and key, where the enzyme maltose is the lock and the substrate maltase is the key. Maltose and maltase form an enzyme-substrate complex when bound to each other, which causes hydrolysis of maltase.

PS
Answered by Philippa S. Biology tutor

23807 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

How should I structure my biology essay?


examiners can ask us to design an experiment in order to explore an aspect of ecology. How would I go about doing this?


What is the Krebs cycle?


Describe the role of two named enzymes in the process of semi-conservative replication of DNA


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences