Extract:
Select the meaning of the underlined word in the following sentence.
This medication works by inhibiting the action of a certain enzyme.
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A
Occupying
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B
Speeding
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C
Hindering
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D
Enhancing
Inhibiting an enzyme means hindering or obstructing or reducing its catalytic activity, slowing biochemical reactions through competitive/non-competitive interference.
A) Occupying
Occupation describes spatial presence, physical inhabitation without specifying functional consequence. Inhibitors may occupy active sites, but occupation alone doesn't guarantee inhibition (substrates also occupy sites while enabling catalysis). This confuses structural positioning with functional outcome.
B) Speeding
Speeding accelerates reaction rates, opposite to inhibition's decelerating effect. Enzyme activators speed reactions; inhibitors slow them. These represent inverse regulatory mechanisms within biochemical control systems.
C) Hindering
Hindering precisely captures inhibition's mechanism: obstructing normal function through interference that reduces efficiency or rate. Competitive inhibitors hinder substrate binding; noncompetitive inhibitors hinder conformational changes, both impeding catalytic progression without permanent destruction.
D) Enhancing
Enhancement amplifies function, opposite to inhibition's suppressive effect. Enzyme cofactors enhance activity; inhibitors diminish it. These represent diametrically opposed regulatory strategies in metabolic control.
Conclusion
Inhibition functions through functional obstruction, reducing enzymatic efficiency without necessarily destroying the enzyme. Unlike occupation (positioning), speeding (acceleration), or enhancement (amplification), hindering alone captures inhibition's essential mechanism: targeted interference that impedes normal catalytic progression while preserving enzyme structure.
Topic Flashcards
Click to FlipWhat is a precise synonym for inhibit in a scientific context?
To hinder, restrain, or slow down a process or function.
What does a catalyst do to a chemical reaction?
It speeds up the reaction. (This is the functional opposite of an inhibitor).
What is the meaning of suppress?
To forcibly put an end to or reduce the intensity of something. It is similar to, but can be stronger than, inhibit.
What is an enzyme activator?
A substance that increases the activity of an enzyme. (This is the direct opposite of an enzyme inhibitor).
What does retard mean in a technical or formal context?
To delay or hold back the progress or development of something. (A synonym for inhibit or hinder).