Class Enzymology

Enzymology is dedicated to the study of enzymes, their kinetics, structure, and function, as well as their
relationship with other enzymes. Enzymes are globular biological proteins responsible for thousands of
metabolic reactions that sustain life and function as catalysts to facilitate reactions within the cell. The
study of enzymes is of great practical importance, in the health area, when some genetic deficiencies can
lead to enzymatic changes, compromising vital functions, enzymes have been used as drugs for the
treatment of genetic diseases; in genetic engineering, several enzymes isolated from different sources
are used as a biological tool; in the industry (pharmaceutical, where some enzymes are used in the
production of antibiotics on a large scale; food: dairy products, starch, beer, wine and cleaning products
such as laundry detergents and dish detergents).

1. Introduction and historical aspects. Why the use of enzymes and its applicability.
2. Enzymes as biocatalysts. Types of cofactors. Interaction with the substrate.
3. Activation energy. Transition state theory.
4. Classification of Enzymes.
5. Practical aspects: Continuous and discontinuous tests. Tests stopped, direct, indirect and coupled. Enzymatic units, initial velocity.
6. Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Rapid Equilibrium approximation model. Steady-state approximation model. Properties of the Michaelis-Menten velocity law.
7. Methods of linearization of the Michaelis-Menten equation: Lineweaver-Burk, Hanes-Woolf, Eadie-Hofstee, and Eisenthal-Cornish-Bowden.  Determination of Vmax and Km.
8. Study of the effect of pH and temperature on enzymatic activity.
9. Types of inhibition: competitive, non-competitive, mixed (anti-competitive).
10. Enzymatic mechanisms: random, ordered and ping-pong.
11. Cooperativity. Model of Monot Wyman and Changeux (MWC) and Koshland Model - Induced fitting.

The UC programmatic contents are taught through powerpoint presentations with illustrative images to capture and motivate students, and for better understanding and organization
of learning subjects. It also includes practical exercises to apply theoretical concepts.

• Athel Cornish-Bowden. Fundamentals of Enzyme Kinetics.Portland Press. 2012 (4rd Edition)
• Nicholas C. Price and Lewis Stevens. Fundamentals of Enzymology. Oxford University Press.1999 (3rd Edition)
• Trevor Palmer, Philip Bonner. Enzymes. Woodhead publishing. 2007 (2nd edition)
• Voet, Judith G. Voet. Biochemistry. John Wiley & Sons. 2010 (4th edition)
• Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko, L. Stryer, Ed. W.H. Biochemistry. Freeman & Company.2010 (7th edition)