Solved: (a) Explain the importance of enzymes in biological systems. (b) What chemical

Chapter 20, Problem 14.91

(choose chapter or problem)

(a) Explain the importance of enzymes in biological systems. (b) What chemical transformations are catalyzed (i) by the enzyme catalase, (ii) by nitrogenase? (c) Many enzymes follow this generic reaction mechanism, where E is enzyme, S is substrate, ES is the enzyme-substrate complex (where the substrate is bound to the enzyme's active site), and P is the product:

1. \(\mathrm{E}+\mathrm{S} \rightleftharpoons \mathrm{ES}\)

2. \(\mathrm{ES} \longrightarrow \mathrm{E}+\mathrm{P}\)

What assumptions are made in this model with regard to the rate of the bound substrate being chemically transformed into bound product in the active site?