What is the function of enzymes in biochemical reactions?

Enzymes play a crucial role in biochemical reactions primarily by lowering the activation energy required for these reactions to occur. This reduction in activation energy allows the reactions to proceed more rapidly and efficiently, facilitating the transformation of substrates into products. Enzymes achieve this by providing an alternative reaction pathway that is energetically more favorable.

By binding to specific substrates, enzymes stabilize the transition state, which significantly accelerates the reaction rate. This capability is vital for biological processes, as it allows cells to maintain the necessary metabolic activity at the temperatures encountered in living organisms.

In contrast, options that suggest deactivating proteins, serving as reactants, or increasing activation energy do not align with the primary function of enzymes in metabolism and cellular reactions. Enzymes are not consumed in the reactions they catalyze, which means they can repeatedly catalyze reactions without being degraded, which contributes to their efficiency.