The Biology Project: Biochemistry

Energy, Enzymes, and Catalysis Problem Set

Problem 5: Why do enzymes reach a maximum rate at high substrate concentration?

In the presence of alcohol dehydrogenase, the rate of reduction of acetaldehyde to ethanol increases as you increase the concentration of acetaldehyde. Eventually the rate of the reaction reaches a maximum, where further increases in the concentration of acetaldehyde have no effect. Why?

A. all of the alcohol dehydrogenase molecules are bound to acetaldehyde molecules
B. at high concentrations of acetaldehyde, the activation energy of the reaction decreases
C. the enzyme is no longer specific for acetaldehyde
D. at high concentrations of acetaldehyde, the change in free energy of the reaction decreases


The Biology Project
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
University of Arizona
Wednesday, September 25, 1996
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