Ligand binding perturbation potential

Step 1. The substrate, RH, associates with the active site of the enzyme and perturbs the spin-state equilibrium. Water is ejected from the active site and the electronic configuration shifts to favor the high-spin form in which pentaco-ordinated heme Fe3+ becomes the dominant form-binding substrate. In this coordination state, Fe3+ is puckered out and above the plane in the direction of the sixth ligand site. The change in spin state alters the redox potential of the system so that the substrate-bound enzyme is now more easily reduced. 

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