What is the Difference Between Enzyme and Coenzyme?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between enzymes and coenzymes lies in their nature, function, and structure. Here are the key differences:
- Size: Enzymes are large molecules, while coenzymes are usually small molecules.
- Nature: Enzymes are mainly globular proteins, whereas coenzymes are non-protein molecules.
- Function: Enzymes act as biological catalysts, increasing the rate of biochemical reactions without being consumed. Coenzymes, on the other hand, are helper molecules required by enzymes to perform their catalytic activity.
- Change of structure: Enzymes' structure remains unaltered throughout the reaction, whereas coenzymes are chemically changed after the enzymatic reaction.
Enzymes are responsible for catalyzing most reactions in living organisms, and they are made from amino acids with unique amino acid sequences. Coenzymes are small, non-protein organic molecules that carry chemical groups between enzymes and substrates. Some examples of coenzymes include Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), Coenzyme A, vitamins B1, B2, and B6.
Comparative Table: Enzyme vs Coenzyme
Here is a table comparing enzymes and coenzymes:
| Feature | Enzymes | Coenzymes |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Enzymes are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions. | Coenzymes are small organic molecules that act as cofactors, binding to enzymes and assisting their function. |
| Structure | Enzymes are typically large proteins consisting of one or more amino acid chains. | Coenzymes are small organic molecules, often derived from vitamins. |
| Function | Enzymes lower the activation energy for a reaction, making it occur more rapidly. They do not change their structure during the reaction. | Coenzymes facilitate enzymatic action by serving as intermediate carriers of electrons, specific atoms, or functional groups between biochemical reactions. They change their structure during the reaction. |
| Examples | Some examples of enzymes include hydrolases, transferases, and oxidoreductases. | Examples of coenzymes include vitamins and their derivatives, such as NADH, FAD, and CoQ10. |
In summary, enzymes are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions, while coenzymes are small organic molecules that assist enzymes in their function. Enzymes do not change their structure during the reaction, whereas coenzymes do.
- Coenzyme vs Cofactor
- Catalyst vs Enzyme
- Enzyme vs Hormone
- Enzyme vs Protein
- Exoenzyme vs Endoenzyme
- Prosthetic Group vs Coenzyme
- Isomerase vs Mutase Enzyme
- Holoenzyme vs Apoenzyme
- Enzyme Inhibitor vs Enzyme Inducer
- Enzyme Activity vs Specific Activity
- Enzyme Activator vs Enzyme Inhibitor
- Enzymatic vs Nonenzymatic Reaction
- Anabolic vs Catabolic Enzymes
- Allosteric vs Non-allosteric Enzymes
- Ribozymes vs Protein Enzymes
- Proteolytic Enzymes vs Digestive Enzymes
- Allozymes vs Isozymes
- Acid Hydrolysis vs Enzymatic Hydrolysis
- Probiotics vs Digestive Enzymes