A substrate in enzymes refers to the molecule on which an enzyme acts in a biochemical reaction. When an enzyme binds to its substrate, it forms an enzyme-substrate complex, which facilitates the conversion of the substrate into one or more products. Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy needed for the reaction. The active site of an enzyme is crucial in binding to the substrate, and the enzymes pressures on the substrate drive it to react and become the desired reactions result. Enzymes typically have specific substrates to which they bind, and the phenomenon via which enzymes activate specified substrates is called substrate specificity.
In summary, a substrate in enzymes is the molecule upon which an enzyme acts to catalyze a specific biochemical reaction, and the interaction between the enzyme and its substrate is essential for the catalytic activity of the enzyme.
