General comments about enzymes

Nearly all biochemical steps are associated with potent catalysts called enzymes. All enzymes are proteins, however metal ions often participate in the complexing of enzymes with their substrates. In addition, enzyme cofactors aid in energy transfer and in transferring groups or atoms.

The most important messages are:

  1. the active site of an enzyme acts as a molecular vise that orients a biochemical to favor the reaction,
  2. orientation is in 3-dimensions such that D and L forms can have great differences in their reaction rates,
  3. some inhibitors resemble the usual substrate and compete with it to find an active site,
  4. non-competitive inhibitors hamper the enzyme but not by simple competition with the usual substrate.
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