Chapter 6, Problem 81TQ

Summary Introduction

To review:

For the equation of competitive inhibition:

$\text{v=}\frac{{\text{V}}_{\text{max}}\left[\text{S}\right]}{\text{α}{K}_{\text{m}}\text{+}\left[\text{S}\right]}$

a) The value of α can ever be less than 1 is to be determined.

b) The consequence for the value of α less than 1 is to be explained.

Introduction:

In the process of competitive inhibition, the inhibitor competes with the substrate for the substrate-binding site of the enzyme. This is because the binding of the substrate and the inhibitor occurs at identical sites. The inhibitor is structurally similar to the substrate. The net result is that the enzyme binds indiscriminately with the inhibitor and is not available to the substrate.