What are enzymes primarily made of?

Enzymes are primarily made of proteins, which are long chains of amino acids that fold into specific three-dimensional shapes essential for their function. The unique sequence of amino acids in a protein determines its structure and, consequently, its activity as an enzyme. Enzymes act as biological catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions in the body without being consumed in the process.

Proteins within enzymes have active sites, which are specially shaped regions that bind to substrate molecules, facilitating the conversion of substrates to products. Each enzyme is specific to a particular reaction or type of reaction due to this unique shape and structure.

While other macromolecules such as carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and fats play important roles in biological processes, they do not serve as the primary structural components of enzymes. Carbohydrates serve as energy sources and structural components, nucleic acids are responsible for genetic information storage and transmission, and fats primarily provide energy and serve as structural components in cell membranes. Hence, proteins stand out as the essential building blocks of enzymes that carry out vital biochemical reactions in living organisms.