Chapter 19, Problem 19.38QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The information about the nature of enzyme-catalyzed reactions that is obtained from the graph of enzyme activity versus substrate concentration has to be determined.

Concept Introduction:

The key steps of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction can be summarized as follows:

  $\begin{array}{l}\text{E}+\text{S }\stackrel{\text{fast}}{\rightleftarrows }\text{ ES }\stackrel{\text{slow}}{\rightleftarrows }\text{ E}+\text{P}\\ \left[\text{Enzyme-substrate}\right]\end{array}$

The second step that involves the transformation enzyme-substrate complex to the give back the enzyme and the product is the slow step as the amount of enzyme present at this stage governs how readily the substrate present at the active site can change to the products. Such a slow step is termed as the rate-limiting step.