Biophysical Chemistry
Catalytic efficiency refers to the ability of an enzyme to convert a substrate into a product, typically measured by the ratio of the rate of catalysis (k_cat) to the enzyme's affinity for the substrate (K_m). This term highlights how effectively an enzyme can facilitate a biochemical reaction, balancing both speed and substrate binding. Understanding this concept is crucial as it relates to how enzymes achieve their remarkable speed in biological reactions and how they interact with transition states during catalysis.
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