Catalysis enzyme-catalyzed reactions

Similarly to homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzyme catalyzed reactions occur at a specific active site, which is dependent on the arrangement of functional groups. 

If the enzyme-catalyzed reaction is to be faster than the uncatalyzed case, the acceptor group on the enzyme must be a better attacking group than Y and a better leaving group than X. Note that most enzymes that carry out covalent catalysis have ping-pong kinetic mechanisms. 

The interest and success of the enzyme-catalyzed reactions in this kind of media is due to several advantages such as (i) solubilization of hydrophobic substrates (ii) ease of recovery of some products (iii) catalysis of reactions that are unfavorable in water (e.g. reversal of hydrolysis reactions in favor of synthesis) (iv) ease of recovery of insoluble biocatalysts (v) increased biocatalyst thermostability (vi) suppression of water-induced side reactions. Furthermore, as already said, enzyme selectivity can be markedly influenced, and even reversed, by the solvent. 

Hence, l/K only approximates l/K under conditions where the association and dissociation of the ES complex is rapid relative to the rate-limiting step in catalysis. For the many enzyme-catalyzed reactions for which + kj is not approximately equal to k j, IIK will underestimate IIK,. 

In this chapter we have seen that enzymatic catalysis is initiated by the reversible interactions of a substrate molecule with the active site of the enzyme to form a non-covalent binary complex. The chemical transformation of the substrate to the product molecule occurs within the context of the enzyme active site subsequent to initial complex formation. We saw that the enormous rate enhancements for enzyme-catalyzed reactions are the result of specific mechanisms that enzymes use to achieve large reductions in the energy of activation associated with attainment of the reaction transition state structure. Stabilization of the reaction transition state in the context of the enzymatic reaction is the key contributor to both enzymatic rate enhancement and substrate specificity. We described several chemical strategies by which enzymes achieve this transition state stabilization. We also saw in this chapter that enzyme reactions are most commonly studied by following the kinetics of these reactions under steady state conditions. We defined three kinetic constants—kai KM, and kcJKM—that can be used to define the efficiency of enzymatic catalysis, and each reports on different portions of the enzymatic reaction pathway. Perturbations... 

The use of the symbol E in 5.1 for the environment had a double objective. It stands there for general environments, and it also stands for the enzyme considered as a very specific environment to the chemical interconversion step [102, 172], In the theory discussed above catalysis is produced if the energy levels of the quantum precursor and successor states are shifted below the energy value corresponding to the same species in a reference surrounding medium. Both the catalytic environment E and the substrates S are molded into complementary surface states to form the complex between the active precursor complex Si and the enzyme structure adapted to it E-Si. In enzyme catalyzed reactions the special productive binding has been confussed with the possible mechanisms to attain it lock-key represents a static view while the induced fit concept... 

Enzyme business, growth in, 10 311 Enzyme catalysis, 20 830 dendrimers in, 26 806 Enzyme catalysts, 16 395 Enzyme-catalyzed reactions,... 

Abstract This chapter introduces the basic principles used in applying isotope effects to studies of the kinetics and mechanisms of enzyme catalyzed reactions. Following the introduction of algebraic equations typically used for kinetic analysis of enzyme reactions and a brief discussion of aqueous solvent isotope effects (because enzyme reactions universally occur in aqueous solutions), practical examples illustrating methods and techniques for studying enzyme isotope effects are presented. Finally, computer modeling of enzyme catalysis is briefly discussed. 

Although conformational changes are essential features of proteins, the conformational basis of protein activity is not yet understood at the molecular and atomic levels. It is generally assumed that the mechanism of enzyme-catalyzed reactions would he defined if all the intermediates and transition states between the initial and final stages, as well as the rate constants, could be characterized. But in spite of constant progress in such characterization, most enzymatic mechanisms are not understood in terms of physical organic chemistry and enzyme activity is still regarded as a miracle as compared to classical catalysis. 

Many of the 60 known reactions catalyzed by monoclonal antibodies involve kinetically favored reactions e.g., ester hydrolysis), but abzymes can also speed up kinetically disfavored reactions. Stewart and Benkovic apphed transition-state theory to analyze the scope and limitations of antibody catalysis quantitatively. They found the observed rate accelerations can be predicted from the ratio of equilibrium binding constants of the reaction substrate and the transition-state analogue used to raise the antibody. This approach permitted them to rationalize product selectivity displayed in antibody catalysis of disfavored reactions, to predict the degree of rate acceleration that catalytic antibodies may ultimately afford, and to highlight some differences between the way that they and enzymes catalyze reactions. 

It was Henri who first proposed that enzyme catalysis depended on the formation of a transient complex of enzyme and substrate, followed by the breakdown i.e., chemical conversion) of bound substrate into product. Nonetheless, credit for derivation of the rate expression for the initial rate phase of one-substrate enzyme-catalyzed reactions is given to Michaelis and Menten. Both treatments gave the same general result ... 

Kinetic studies tell how fast enzymes act but by themselves say nothing about how enzymes catalyze reactions. They do not give the chemical mechanism of catalysis, the step-by-step process by which a reaction takes place. Most of the individual steps involve the simultaneous breaking of a chemical bond and formation of a new bond. Consider a simple displacement reaction, that of a hydroxyl ion reacting with methyl iodide to give the products methanol and iodide ions. 

Hydrogen bonds appear to be essential in all enzyme-catalyzed reactions, although why they are essential and how they promote function is an open question. In recent years a specific hypothesis for their involvement in catalysis has emerged so-called low-barrier hydrogen bonds (LBHB) have been proposed to lower the transition state energy for many enzymatic reactions, including those of serine protease, citrate... 

J. A. Gerlt, J. W. Kozarich, G. L. Kenyon, and P. G. Gassman, Electrophilic catalysis can explain the unexpected acidity of carbon adds in enzyme-catalyzed reactions,... 

Structural studies of the oxy-Cope catalytic antibody system reinforce the idea that conformational dynamics of both protein and substrate are intimately intertwined with enzyme catalysis, and consideration of these dynamics is essential for complete understanding of biologically catalyzed reactions. Indeed, recent single molecule kinetic studies of enzyme-catalyzed reactions also suggest that different conformations of proteins are associated with different catalytic rates (Xie and Lu, 1999). In addition, a number of enzymes are known to undergo conformational changes on binding of substrate (Koshland, 1987) that lead to enhanced catalysis two examples are hexokinase (Anderson and Steitz, 1975 Dela-Fuente and Sols, 1970) and triosephosphate isomerase (Knowles, 1991). 

Because active sites of enzymes frequently have ionizable groups that must be in a specific ionic form to maintain the conformation of the active site, bind the substrate, or catalyze the reaction, it follows that pH will influence the velocity of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. In addition, the substrate may contain ionizable groups, and only a specific ionic form can bind to the enzyme or undergo catalysis. 

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