Active site — Free Biology Illustration

Biology

Active site

Close-up view of an active site as a distinct recessed pocket, groove, cleft, or notch on the surface of a rounded globular enzyme or folded protein. The protein surface is generally light blue, while the binding and catalytic region is emphasized with slightly darker shading or a contrasting highlight color. The active site forms a smooth but clearly defined concave cavity with curved walls and precise complementary geometry for substrate binding; some depictions may show a few lining residues within the cleft. The pocket is integrated into the surrounding protein surface but stands out as the localized binding region for a small substrate or ligand.

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