biocatalysts
Living reaction speeders
Biocatalysts are substances—typically enzymes or microorganisms—that speed up chemical reactions in living systems.
Unlike industrial catalysts, biocatalysts work under mild conditions and with high specificity: Brewers rely on biocatalysts to convert sugars into alcohol.
The term appears in biochemistry, biotechnology, and green chemistry, where biocatalysts offer environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic processes.
Amino acid polymers
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
- active siteEnzyme region binding substrates
- kineticsScience of motion forces
- inhibitionMental check on behavior
cofactor · hydrolase · ligase · transferase · protease · lipase · amylase · nuclease
Speed of chemical change
- activation energyMinimum energy for transformation
- Michaelis-MentenEnzyme rate equation
- affinityNatural liking or attraction
- inhibitionMental check on behavior
competitive · noncompetitive · turnover number · mechanism · intermediate
Microbial sugar conversion
- bioreactorsTanks for biological reactions
- immobilizationPreventing movement entirely
- bioprocessingManufacturing via living organisms
- pharmaceuticalsManufactured therapeutic substances
biofuels · detergents · food processing · brewing · bioremediation · biotransformation · biodegradation · waste treatment
Cell's energy molecule
- glycolysisGlucose metabolism producing ATP
- oxidationLosing electrons chemically
- phosphorylationPhosphate group attachment process
- respirationGas exchange in organisms
photosynthesis · catabolism · anabolism · mitochondria · coenzyme · energy conversion · cellular respiration · fermentation
proteins
Amino acid polymers
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
- active siteEnzyme region binding substrates
- kineticsScience of motion forces
inhibition · cofactor · hydrolase · ligase · transferase · protease · lipase · amylase · nuclease · polymerase
reaction rate
Speed of chemical change
- activation energyMinimum energy for transformation
- Michaelis-MentenEnzyme rate equation
- affinityNatural liking or attraction
inhibition · competitive · noncompetitive · turnover number · mechanism · intermediate
fermentation
Microbial sugar conversion
- bioreactorsTanks for biological reactions
- immobilizationPreventing movement entirely
- bioprocessingManufacturing via living organisms
pharmaceuticals · biofuels · detergents · food processing · brewing · bioremediation · biotransformation · biodegradation · waste treatment · textile processing
ATP
Cell's energy molecule
- glycolysisGlucose metabolism producing ATP
- oxidationLosing electrons chemically
- phosphorylationPhosphate group attachment process
respiration · photosynthesis · catabolism · anabolism · mitochondria · coenzyme · energy conversion · cellular respiration · fermentation · biosynthesis