In: Chemistry
“Rate enhancement” of a chemical reaction by an enzyme compares which of the following values?
a. kforward vs. kreverse
b. k without enzyme and kcat with enzyme
c. kcat/KM without enzyme and kcat/KM with enzyme
d. Vmax without enzyme and Km with enzyme
e. kcat with enzyme and kdiffusion
C- kcat/KM without enzyme and kcat/KM with enzyme
Enzymatic rate enhancements arise from the unmatched ability of enzymes to stabilise the transition states of the reactions that they catalyse. Comparison of rate constants of an enzyme‐catalysed reactions, that is, kcat and kcat/Km, to that of the corresponding reaction in the absence of the enzyme, that is, kN, provides quantitative measures of enzyme catalytic power. Moreover, the ratio of kN to kcat/Km provides a quantitative measure of transition state stabilisation effected by enzymes, which in turn motivates the development of ultrapotent transition state analogue enzyme inhibitor.