All books

Professional

Apps About Coach Log in Start reading

Chemistry · Glossary

What is Michaelis constant, maximum rate, catalytic and specificity constants?

Also known as: catalytic constant · maximum rate · Michaelis constant · specificity constant

Definition 13.9 University Chemistry — Year 3 · Chapter 13 — Complex Kinetics: Chains, Enzymes and Oscillations

For the mechanism E+S⇌ES→E+P\mathrm{E + S \rightleftharpoons ES \to E + P} (k1k_1, k−1k_{-1}, k2k_2) at total enzyme concentration [E]0[\mathrm E]_0, the catalytic constant is kcat=k2k_{\mathrm{cat}} = k_2, the maximum rate is Vmax⁡=kcat[E]0V_{\max} = k_{\mathrm{cat}}[\mathrm E]_0, the Michaelis constant is KM=(k−1+k2)/k1K_M = (k_{-1} + k_2)/k_1, and the specificity constant is kcat/KMk_{\mathrm{cat}}/K_M.

Read in context →