An enzyme's specificity can be due to: a. molecular recognition based on structural complementarity b. the ratio of catalyzed rate to the uncatalyzed rate of reaction. c. amount of enzyme produced by the cell. d. amount of substrate available

Answer: a. molecular recognition based on structural complementarity

Explanation: Enzyme specificity is the ability of an enzyme to bind/react with a particular substrate and/or catalyze a specific set of chemical reactions. It is the ability the an enzyme to choose, bind with the correct and exact substrate from a group of similar chemical reactions.

This enzyme specificity operates through the structural and conformational complementarity between an enzyme and a substrate and it is based on a molecular recognition pattern. This was introduced by Emil Fischer (Nobel prize winner) who proposed the "lock and key" model. He used this model to explain the high specificity of an enzyme for its substrate.

A. molecular recognition based on structural complementarity

Explanation:

What is enzyme specificity? Specificity is the ability of an enzyme to choose exact substrate from a group of similar chemical molecules. The specificity is actually a molecular recognition mechanism and it operates through the structural and conformational complementarity between enzyme and substrate.