All enzymes possess an indentation or cavity to which the substrate can bind with high specificity – this is the active site

• The shape and chemical properties of the active site are highly dependent on the three dimensional shape of the enzyme
  

Like all proteins, enzyme structure can be modified by external factors such as high temperatures and extreme pH

• These factors disrupt the chemical bonds which are necessary to maintain the shape and chemical properties of the enzyme
  

• Any change to the structure of the active site (denaturation) will negatively affect the enzyme’s capacity to bind the substrate
  

Certain molecules (called inhibitors) may also reduce enzyme-substrate interactions by either occluding the active site or altering its shape