Enzyme kinetics
In biochemistry, enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts. Catalysis is the addition of a catalyst to a chemical reaction to speed up the pace of the reaction. Catalysis can be categorized as either homogeneous or heterogeneous, depending on whether the catalysts are distributed in the same phase as that of the reactants. Enzymes are an essential part of the cell because, without them, many organic processes would slow down and thus will affect the processes that are important for cell survival and sustenance.
Regulation of Enzymes
A substance that acts as a catalyst to regulate the reaction rate in the living organism's metabolic pathways without itself getting altered is an enzyme. Most of the biological reactions and metabolic pathways in the living systems are carried out by enzymes. They are specific for their works and work in particular conditions. It maintains the best possible rate of reaction in the most stable state. The enzymes have distinct properties as they can proceed with the reaction in any direction, their particular binding sites, pH specificity, temperature specificity required in very few amounts.
Human xanthine oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine and can further
catalyze the oxidation of xanthine to uric acid. For the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout,
several medications are used to inhibit the activity of xanthine oxidase and reduce the
production of uric acid. You are a biochemist and just discovered a chemical that can inhibit
the activity of the human xanthine oxidase. When analyzing its mode of inhibition, you found
that the enzyme inhibitor complex requires 450 kJ.mol-1 to dissociate and that it displays
kinetics somehow similar to noncompetitive inhibition. You sent your inhibitor to the ministry
of health for approval as a medication for gout. Based on the data provided, are they going to
authorize it as a medication or not? Explain?
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