BIOC 2580 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Molecularity, Weak Base, Collision Frequency
8 Dec 2017
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Synopsis: the purpose of many proteins is to bind and recognize specific target molecules. Specific binding results from cavities and regions on the protein surface which complement the target molecule. Enzymes catalyze a reaction on their bound target, speeding up reactions by a variety of catalytic effects, including proximity effect, orientation effect and chemical catalysis. Chemical catalysis lowers the activation energy ea required for reaction by finding a better chemical pathway for reaction. This may be achieved by nucleophilic catalysis, electrophilic catalysis, general acid or general base catalysis or by transition state stabilization. Proteins fold because one part of the polypeptide chain binds and recognises another specific part of the same polypeptide. Exactly the same types of non covalent interactions that cause a protein to fold can also be used to allow a protein molecule bind any other kind of molecule.
