what are enzymes explain the mechanism of enzyme catalyst

8 months ago 35
Nature

Enzymes are biological catalysts that increase the rate of chemical reactions within cells. They achieve this by reducing the activation energy required for the reaction, thereby increasing the rate of the reaction. Enzymes do not alter the free energy change of the reaction or the spontaneity of the reaction. They are highly specific, acting on only certain substrates, and can even show regiospecificity and stereospecificity, leading to the generation of specific products. Enzymes bind to their substrates through hydrogen bonding and other electrostatic interactions, and the catalytic process involves the binding of substrates to form an enzyme-substrate complex. The transition state of the reaction is stabilized by the tight binding of the enzyme, lowering the energy of activation required for the reaction. Enzymes can use various catalytic mechanisms, including acid-base catalysis, covalent catalysis, and electrostatic interactions, to facilitate the formation of the transition state within the reaction and speed up the reaction