What are enzymes primarily classified as?

Enzymes are primarily classified as protein molecules that serve as biological catalysts. This classification is based on their structure and function within living organisms. Proteins are composed of amino acids, and their specific sequences and three-dimensional shapes allow enzymes to facilitate chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy needed for those reactions to occur.

As biological catalysts, enzymes increase the rate of reactions without being consumed or permanently altered in the process. This is crucial for maintaining the metabolic processes that sustain life, as many biochemical reactions would occur too slowly or not at all in the absence of enzymes.

In contrast, lipids primarily function in energy storage and forming cellular membranes, carbohydrates offer structural support and energy storage but do not act as catalysts, and nucleic acids are responsible for storing and transmitting genetic information. Each of these categories encompasses distinctly different classes of biological molecules, emphasizing the unique role that enzymes, classified as proteins, play in catalyzing biochemical reactions.