What type of substances are antibodies and enzymes?

What type of substances are antibodies and enzymes?

• A. Proteins
• B. Lipids
• C. Carbohydrates
• D. Nucleic acids

Answer: (A)

Antibodies and enzymes are proteins. They’re built from chains of amino acids that fold into precise three-dimensional shapes essential for their function. An antibody’s shape creates binding sites that recognize specific antigens, while an enzyme’s active site shape allows it to bind substrates and speed up chemical reactions. Some enzymes do need non-protein helpers called cofactors, but the protein itself is the key that defines its function. Lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids play other roles in biology—lipids form membranes and store energy, carbohydrates provide energy and structure, and nucleic acids store genetic information (with some RNA molecules capable of catalysis in special cases), but antibodies and most enzymes are proteins.

Antibodies and enzymes are proteins. They’re built from chains of amino acids that fold into precise three-dimensional shapes essential for their function. An antibody’s shape creates binding sites that recognize specific antigens, while an enzyme’s active site shape allows it to bind substrates and speed up chemical reactions. Some enzymes do need non-protein helpers called cofactors, but the protein itself is the key that defines its function. Lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids play other roles in biology—lipids form membranes and store energy, carbohydrates provide energy and structure, and nucleic acids store genetic information (with some RNA molecules capable of catalysis in special cases), but antibodies and most enzymes are proteins.