substraattiyhdisteestä

A substrate compound refers to a molecule upon which an enzyme acts. Enzymes are biological catalysts that facilitate and speed up chemical reactions in living organisms. The substrate binds to a specific region on the enzyme called the active site. This binding is typically highly specific, meaning that a particular enzyme will usually only bind to and act upon one or a few specific substrate molecules.

The interaction between the enzyme and its substrate forms an enzyme-substrate complex. Within this complex, the enzyme alters the substrate, either by breaking it down into smaller molecules or by joining it with other molecules to form a new product. Once the reaction is complete, the product(s) are released from the active site, and the enzyme is free to bind to another substrate molecule and repeat the catalytic cycle. The nature of the substrate is crucial for the enzyme's function, and the specificity of this interaction is a fundamental principle in biochemistry. Understanding enzyme-substrate relationships is key to comprehending metabolic pathways and various biological processes.