Part II: Enzymes
Biological Catalysis
Enzymes are nature's catalysts, accelerating biochemical reactions by factors of 10⁶ to 10¹⁷ while maintaining exquisite specificity. Understanding enzyme mechanisms, kinetics (Michaelis–Menten theory), inhibition strategies, and allosteric regulation is central to biochemistry, pharmacology, and biotechnology. This part develops the quantitative framework for analyzing enzyme behavior.
10¹⁷
Max Rate Enhancement
Kᵤ
Michaelis Constant
6 Classes
EC Classification
Ninja Nerd Video Companions
Undergraduate refreshers from the Ninja Nerd Biochemistry series — review before working through the quantitative chapters below.
Michaelis-Menten Equation
Michaelis-Menten & Lineweaver-Burk Plot
Enzyme Inhibition
Lecture Companions: Catalysis, Kinetics, Allostery & Mechanism
An 11-lecture undergraduate primer covering the thermodynamics of catalysis, Michaelis–Menten kinetics, inhibition, allosteric models (concerted vs sequential), regulation by phosphorylation/zymogens, and the chymotrypsin mechanism.
Catalysis & Thermodynamics
4A. Catalysis & Thermodynamics
4B. Transition State & Kinetics
4C. Enzyme-Substrate Binding
Michaelis-Menten Kinetics & Inhibition
5A. Michaelis-Menten Enzyme Kinetics
5B. More Michaelis-Menten Kinetics
5C. Enzyme Inhibition
Allosteric Enzymes
6A. Allosteric Enzymes (ATCase)
6B. Concerted & Sequential Models
Regulation & Chymotrypsin Mechanism
7A. Phosphorylation & Zymogens
7B. Setup for Chymotrypsin Mechanism
7C. Chymotrypsin Mechanism
Topics in This Part
5. Enzyme Catalysis & Mechanisms
Transition state theory, activation energy lowering, acid–base and covalent catalysis, the serine protease mechanism
6. Enzyme Kinetics
Michaelis–Menten equation, Vᵤᴁᴝ, Kᵤ, kᴄᴁᴛ, Lineweaver–Burk plots, and multi-substrate kinetics
7. Enzyme Inhibition
Competitive, uncompetitive, noncompetitive, and mixed inhibition; Kᵢ determination; drug design applications
8. Allosteric Regulation & Cooperativity
MWC and KNF models, the Hill equation, feedback inhibition, covalent modification, and zymogens