The properties of enzymes are :
(1) Enzyme are generally globular proteins. They may have additional inorganic or organic substance for their activity.
(2) Being proteinaceous, the enzymes are giant molecules with a molecular weight of 6000 to 4,600,000.
(3) Enzymes have colloidal nature. They are hydrophillic and form hydrosol in the free state.
(4) Enzymes do not start a chemical reaction but increase the rate of chemical reaction. They do not change the equilibrium but bring about equilibrium very soon.
(5) The number of substrate molecules changed per
minute by a molecule or enzyme is called turn over number (Kcat). The rate of turn over number depends upon the efficiency of enzymes.
(6) Enzyme are in no way transformed or used up in the chemical reaction but come out unchanged at the end of reaction.
(7) All enzymes controlled reactions are reversible. Reversibility is dependent upon energy requirements, availability of reactants, concentration of products and pH.
(8) Enzyme are highly specific in their action. For example, enzyme maltase acts on sugar maltase but not on lactose or sucrose. Different enzymes may act on the same substrate but give rise to different products.