What happens to an enzyme when it is denatured?

When an enzyme is denatured, it loses its functional shape, which is primarily due to the disruption of the interactions that maintain its three-dimensional structure. Enzymes rely on their specific shapes to bind to substrates effectively and catalyze biochemical reactions. When the structure is altered by factors such as extreme temperature or pH changes, the active site, which is the region where substrate molecules bind, may change or become inaccessible. This alteration impairs the enzyme’s ability to function, hindering its catalytic activity and rendering it ineffective in speeding up reactions. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the crucial relationship between an enzyme's structure and its function, emphasizing that loss of shape directly impacts its activity.