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Specificity Constant
In the field of biochemistry, the specificity constant (also called kinetic efficiency or k_/K_), is a measure of how efficiently an enzyme converts substrates into products. A comparison of specificity constants can also be used as a measure of the preference of an enzyme for different substrates (i.e., substrate specificity). The higher the specificity constant, the more the enzyme "prefers" that substrate. The following equation, known as the Michaelis–Menten model, is used to describe the kinetics of enzymes: : + S _fk_r] ES -> _ + P where E, S, ES, and P represent enzyme, substrate, enzyme–substrate complex, and product, respectively. The symbols k_f, k_r, and k_\mathrm denote the rate constants for the "forward" binding and "reverse" unbinding of substrate, and for the "catalytic" conversion of substrate into product, respectively. The Michaelis constant in turn is defined as follows: : K_ = \frac The Michaelis constant is equal to the substrate concentration at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biochemistry
Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and metabolism. Over the last decades of the 20th century, biochemistry has become successful at explaining living processes through these three disciplines. Almost all areas of the life sciences are being uncovered and developed through biochemical methodology and research. Voet (2005), p. 3. Biochemistry focuses on understanding the chemical basis which allows biological molecules to give rise to the processes that occur within living cells and between cells,Karp (2009), p. 2. in turn relating greatly to the understanding of tissues and organs, as well as organism structure and function.Miller (2012). p. 62. Biochemistry is closely related to molecular biology, which is the study of the molecular mechanisms of biological phenomena.As ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
