Enzymatically

Enzymatically is an adverb describing a process driven or accelerated by enzymes. Enzymes are biological catalysts that raise reaction rates under mild conditions and often with substrate specificity. When a reaction proceeds enzymatically, the enzyme binds its substrate at an active site, forming an enzyme–substrate complex that lowers the activation energy needed for the transformation.

Enzymatic reactions follow specific kinetics and are commonly described by models such as the Michaelis–Menten framework, relating rate to enzyme and substrate concentrations and the turnover number. Enzymes are sensitive to temperature, pH, and inhibitors or activators, all of which can greatly affect reaction speed.

In biology, enzymatically driven processes are essential, including digestion by amylases, proteases, and lipases; metabolism; and DNA replication by polymerases. In research and industry, enzymatic methods enable assays, synthesis, and biomolecule processing. Industrially, processes are often run enzymatically to improve selectivity and operate under mild conditions—for example lactose hydrolysis in milk or biofuel production with cellulases.

Limitations include instability at extreme conditions, dependence on cofactors, inhibition by byproducts, and cost. Solutions include engineering for stability, immobilization for reuse, and combining enzymes with other catalysts.