5. A metabolic pathway with the end product "Blue fish" is shown below. The enzymes that catalyze each step are shown in italics above each arrow. The committed step is the conversion of One Fish to Two Fish by Seuss1. a. Briefly explain what the “committed step" of a pathway is. Also explain why it makes sense for Seuss1 to catalyze the committed step, and why this step is most likely to be allosterically controlled. Seuss1 Seuss2 Seuss3 One fish → Two fish → Red fish → Blue fish

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Chapter1: Biochemistry: An Evolving Science
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**Problem 5: Metabolic Pathway Analysis**

A metabolic pathway with the end product "Blue fish" is illustrated. Enzymes catalyzing each step are italicized above each arrow. The committed step is the conversion of One Fish to Two Fish by the enzyme Seuss1.

**a. Explanation of the Committed Step**

- **Definition**: The "committed step" in a pathway is the point at which a metabolic pathway is irreversibly committed to the synthesis of its end product. This step often involves a significant energy investment or unique pathway-specific substrates or enzymes.
  
- **Importance of Seuss1**: Seuss1 catalyzes the committed step from One Fish to Two Fish. It is crucial for Seuss1 to catalyze this step to regulate the pathway's flow and efficiency. This step is a key point for allosteric regulation, allowing the cell to control pathway activity in response to its needs and resource availability.

**b. Allosteric Control by Blue Fish**

- **Role of Blue Fish**: Blue Fish acts as an allosteric ligand to control Seuss1 activity. The image shows the enzyme complex with circled binding sites for Seuss1's substrate, One Fish.
  
- **Binding Site for Blue Fish**: The allosteric binding site is different from the substrate binding site. An arrow should indicate where Blue Fish is likely to bind, which is typically at sites that are not overlap with the active site but can influence enzyme conformation and activity.

**c. Enzyme Activity in Presence of Blue Fish**

- **Graph Explanation**: The graph shows Seuss1 activity. The x-axis (S) represents Blue Fish substrate concentration, and the y-axis (v) indicates reaction velocity. The solid line represents normal activity ("Control").

- **Effects of Blue Fish**: Dotted lines on the graph represent possible enzyme activities in the presence of high concentrations of Blue Fish. Blue Fish as an allosteric ligand could either:

  - **Change Vmax**: Indicating altered maximal enzyme velocity without affecting substrate affinity.
  
  - **Change Km**: Indicating altered enzyme affinity without affecting maximum velocity.

Select the appropriate dotted line based on whether Blue Fish affects the enzyme's maximum velocity or its affinity for the substrate, typically altering either Vmax or Km in response to Blue Fish concentrations.
Transcribed Image Text:**Problem 5: Metabolic Pathway Analysis** A metabolic pathway with the end product "Blue fish" is illustrated. Enzymes catalyzing each step are italicized above each arrow. The committed step is the conversion of One Fish to Two Fish by the enzyme Seuss1. **a. Explanation of the Committed Step** - **Definition**: The "committed step" in a pathway is the point at which a metabolic pathway is irreversibly committed to the synthesis of its end product. This step often involves a significant energy investment or unique pathway-specific substrates or enzymes. - **Importance of Seuss1**: Seuss1 catalyzes the committed step from One Fish to Two Fish. It is crucial for Seuss1 to catalyze this step to regulate the pathway's flow and efficiency. This step is a key point for allosteric regulation, allowing the cell to control pathway activity in response to its needs and resource availability. **b. Allosteric Control by Blue Fish** - **Role of Blue Fish**: Blue Fish acts as an allosteric ligand to control Seuss1 activity. The image shows the enzyme complex with circled binding sites for Seuss1's substrate, One Fish. - **Binding Site for Blue Fish**: The allosteric binding site is different from the substrate binding site. An arrow should indicate where Blue Fish is likely to bind, which is typically at sites that are not overlap with the active site but can influence enzyme conformation and activity. **c. Enzyme Activity in Presence of Blue Fish** - **Graph Explanation**: The graph shows Seuss1 activity. The x-axis (S) represents Blue Fish substrate concentration, and the y-axis (v) indicates reaction velocity. The solid line represents normal activity ("Control"). - **Effects of Blue Fish**: Dotted lines on the graph represent possible enzyme activities in the presence of high concentrations of Blue Fish. Blue Fish as an allosteric ligand could either: - **Change Vmax**: Indicating altered maximal enzyme velocity without affecting substrate affinity. - **Change Km**: Indicating altered enzyme affinity without affecting maximum velocity. Select the appropriate dotted line based on whether Blue Fish affects the enzyme's maximum velocity or its affinity for the substrate, typically altering either Vmax or Km in response to Blue Fish concentrations.
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