Enzymatische

Enzymatische is an adjective used to describe processes, reactions, or properties involving enzymes. In biology, enzymatic reactions are chemical processes catalyzed by enzymes, biological macromolecules that act as highly specific catalysts. Most enzymes are proteins, though RNA molecules can also have catalytic activity (riboenzymes). Enzymatic catalysis works by reducing the activation energy of a reaction, often by forming an enzyme-substrate complex at an active site, enabling rearrangements of bonds.

The term is widely used in Dutch and German contexts; in English, the corresponding adjective is enzymatic. Enzymatic reactions exhibit high specificity for substrates and reactions; each enzyme typically acts on a limited set of substrates and accelerates a particular type of chemical transformation. The mechanism often follows models such as lock-and-key or induced fit, and may require cofactors or coenzymes.

Factors affecting enzymatic activity include temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and presence of inhibitors or activators. Enzymes can be regulated allosterically or by covalent modification, ensuring metabolic control.

Applications span agriculture, industry, and medicine: digestive enzymes in the gut; industrial enzymes for food processing, textiles, and biofuel production; diagnostic assays and enzyme replacement therapies. Enzymatic efficiency is often optimized for physiological conditions, whereas industrial processes may use engineered variants to increase stability or activity.