Table of contents

1. Matter and Measurements4h 31m
2. Atoms and the Periodic Table5h 23m
3. Ionic Compounds2h 18m
4. Molecular Compounds2h 18m
5. Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions3h 17m
6. Chemical Reactions & Quantities2h 27m
7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium3h 46m
8. Gases, Liquids and Solids3h 25m
9. Solutions4h 10m
10. Acids and Bases3h 29m
11. Nuclear Chemistry56m
BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions47m
12. Introduction to Organic Chemistry1h 34m
13. Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds2h 12m
14. Compounds with Oxygen or Sulfur1h 6m
15. Aldehydes and Ketones1h 1m
16. Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives1h 11m
17. Amines39m
18. Amino Acids and Proteins1h 51m
19. Enzymes1h 37m
20. Carbohydrates1h 41m
21. The Generation of Biochemical Energy2h 8m
22. Carbohydrate Metabolism2h 22m
23. Lipids2h 26m
24. Lipid Metabolism1h 45m
25. Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism1h 37m
26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis2h 54m

19. Enzymes

Enzyme Classification

GOB Chemistry

19. Enzymes

Enzyme Classification

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1:00 minutes

Problem 39c

Textbook Question

Name an enzyme that acts on each molecule.
c. RNA

Verified step by step guidance

Understand that enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions by acting on specific substrates. In this case, the substrate is RNA.

Recall that enzymes are named based on the type of reaction they catalyze or the substrate they act upon. For RNA, the enzyme typically involved is one that breaks down or modifies RNA molecules.

Identify that enzymes ending in '-ase' often indicate their function. For RNA, the enzyme responsible for breaking it down is called ribonuclease (commonly abbreviated as RNase).

Note that ribonucleases catalyze the hydrolysis of the phosphodiester bonds in RNA, breaking it into smaller components such as nucleotides.

Conclude that ribonuclease (RNase) is the enzyme that acts on RNA, facilitating its degradation or processing in biological systems.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a crucial molecule in the biology of cells, playing a central role in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. Unlike DNA, RNA is typically single-stranded and contains ribose sugar and the nitrogenous base uracil instead of thymine. RNA is involved in various cellular processes, including protein synthesis and gene regulation.

Enzymes

Enzymes are biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions in living organisms. They are typically proteins that lower the activation energy required for reactions, thus increasing the rate at which they occur. Each enzyme is specific to a particular substrate, meaning it acts on a specific molecule or type of molecule, facilitating various biochemical processes.

RNA Polymerase

RNA polymerase is the enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template during the process of transcription. It binds to the promoter region of a gene and unwinds the DNA strands, allowing it to read the sequence and construct a complementary RNA strand. This enzyme is essential for gene expression and the production of messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries genetic information to ribosomes for protein synthesis.