The use of enzymes in the diagnosis of disease is one of the important benefits derived from the intensive research in biochemistry since the 1940's. Enzymes have provided the basis for the field of clinical chemistry. It is, however, only within the recent past few decades that interest in diagnostic enzymology has multiplied. Many methods currently on record in the literature are not in wide use, and there are still large areas of medical research in which the diagnostic potential of enzyme reactions has not been explored at all. This section has been prepared by Worthington Biochemical Corporation as a practical introduction to enzymology. Because of its close involvement over the years in the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of enzymology, Worthington's knowledge covers a broad spectrum of the subject. Some of this information has been assembled here for the benefit of laboratory personnel.

1. Chapter 5 (part 1)
Enzymes: Introduction

2. Catalyst
• substance that increase rates of a
chemical reaction
• does not effect equilibrium
• remain unchanged in overall
process
• reactants bind to catalyst,
products are released

3. Catalysts increase product formation by
(1) lowering the energy barrier (activation
energy) for the product to form
(2) increases the favorable orientation of
colliding reactant molecules for product
formation to be successful (stabilize transition
state intermediate)

4. Catalytic Power
• Enzymes can accelerate reactions
as much as 1016
over uncatalyzed
rates!
• Urease is a good example:
– Catalyzed rate: 3x104
/sec
– Uncatalyzed rate: 3x10 -10
/sec
– Ratio is 1x1014
!

5. Specificity
• Enzymes selectively recognize
proper substrates over other
molecules
• Enzymes produce products in very
high yields - often much greater
than 95%
• Specificity is controlled by
structure - the unique fit of
substrate with enzyme controls the
selectivity for substrate and the
product yield

6. Classes of enzymes
1. Oxidoreductases = catalyze oxidation-
reduction reactions (NADH)
2. Transferases = catalyze transfer of functional
groups from one molecule to another.
3. Hydrolases = catalyze hydrolytic cleavage
4. Lyases = catalyze removal of a group from or
addition of a group to a double bond, or other
cleavages involving electron rearrangement.
5. Isomerases = catalyze intramolecular
rearrangement.
6. Ligases = catalyze reactions in which two
molecules are joined.
Enzymes named for the substrates and type of
reaction

8. Co-enzymes
• Non-protein molecules that help enzymes
function
• Associate with active site of enzyme
• Enzyme + Co-enzyme = holoenzyme
• Enzyme alone = apoenzyme
• Organic co-enzymes – thiamin, riboflavin,
niacin, biotin
• Inorganic co-enzymes – Mg ++
, Fe++
, Zn++
,
Mn++

9. Kinetics
• study of reaction rate
• determines number of steps involved
• determines mechanism of reaction
• identifies “rate-limiting” step

10. Kinetics
• study of reaction rate
• determines number of steps involved
• determines mechanism of reaction
• identifies “rate-limiting” step