We created a novel laboratory experience where undergraduate students explore the techniques used to study protein misfolding, unfolding, and aggregation. Despite the importance of protein misfolding and aggregation diseases, protein unfolding is not typically explored in undergraduate biochemistry laboratory classes. Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase…

The study of energy metabolism is fundamental in multiple disciplines, such as biochemistry, bioengineering, biomedicine, etc. Traditionally, in high school and college level courses, students are taught energy metabolism (glycolysis, Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation) through diagrams of metabolic pathways that depict the transformation…

The study and analysis of enzymatic reactions are essential for characterizing various biological systems. As part of these procedures, it is important to understand how to quantify the biological activity of these proteins in terms of enzymatic activity. This work proposes a general equation for determining enzymatic activity based on…

Most textbooks and lecturers present Michaelis-Menten kinetics using the equation v = V[subscript max][S]/(K[subscript m] + [S]). There are advantages to presenting this relationship in a slightly different form, namely v = V[subscript max]/{1 + (K[subscript m]/[S])}. We articulate advantages for single-substrate reactions and extend the formalism…

Enzyme kinetics and inhibition studies are crucial in biochemistry education and research. Conventional methods often require expensive equipment and reagents, potentially limiting their accessibility in limited resource settings. Our approach sought to develop a cost-effective experimental design for studying enzyme kinetics and inhibition.…

This article aims to simplify and facilitate the process of practical teaching of enzyme kinetics by utilizing minimal teaching laboratory requirements. Simultaneously, it ensures that students comprehend the enzyme kinetics experiment effectively. The focus is on teaching students how to estimate the maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant…

Chemical reactions that mimic the function of ATP hydrolysis in biochemistry are of current interest in nonequilibrium systems chemistry. The formation of transient bonds from these reactions can drive molecular machines or generate materials with time-dependent properties. While the behavior of these systems can be complicated, the underlying…

Enzymes are nature's catalysts, mediating chemical processes in living systems. The study of enzyme function and mechanism includes defining the maximum catalytic rate and affinity for substrate/s (among other factors), referred to as enzyme kinetics. Enzyme kinetics is a staple of biochemistry curricula and other disciplines, from molecular and…

The inhibition of porcine pancreatic lipase by the drug orlistat was studied through a series of activities that combine experimental and computational procedures. The enzymatic activity of the lipase was determined by measuring enzyme kinetics and calculating parameters such as K[subscript m] and V[subscript max] from experimental data. Assays of…

The fundamental mechanism of biochemistry lies on the reaction kinetics, which is determined by the reaction pathways. Interestingly, the reaction pathway is a challenging concept for undergraduate students. Experimentally, it is difficult to observe, and theoretically, it requires some degree of physics knowledge, namely statistical and quantum…

Enzyme activators lower K[subscript m] (the Michaelis constant) and/or raise V[subscript max] (the asymptotic reaction velocity at infinite substrate concentration); conversely, inhibitors raise K[Subscript m] and/or lower V[subscript max]. But what if an effector moves both K[subscript m] and V[subscript max] in the same direction? Uncompetitive…

This report describes a laboratory experiment for an undergraduate-level inorganic chemistry or biochemistry course involving the study of the kinetics of the catecholase activity of a synthetic nickel­(II)-oximate complex. A model substrate, 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol(DBC), undergoes aerobic oxidation to 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone (DBQ) in the…

Enzymes provide attractive targets for drug development. Quantitative analysis of enzyme reactions can lead to rational drug discovery. For undergraduates majoring in biochemistry or pharmacy and engaged in drug discovery-related work, it is essential to acquire a comprehensive understanding of enzyme kinetics, including experimental methods and…

We are living in the Big Data era, and yet we may have serious troubles when dealing with a handful of kinetic data if we are not properly instructed. The aim of this paper, related to enzyme kinetics, is to illustrate how to determine the K[subscript m] and V[subscript max] of a michaelian enzyme avoiding the pitfalls in which we often fall. To…

The field of biosensors is a burgeoning area of research and employs a large number of chemistry graduates. The impact of strip tests in detecting coronavirus was palpable during the recent COVID-19 pandemic and will further drive the biosensor industry. Despite their common usage, a coherent introduction to the basics of sensing remains missing…