Formulation of a universal first-order rate constant for enzymatic reactions.

It is a common practice to employ k(cat)[E]₀/K(m) as a first-order rate constant for the analysis of an enzymatic reaction, where [E]₀ is the total enzyme concentration. I describe in this report a serious shortcoming in analyzing enzymatic reactions when kcat[E]₀/K(m) is employed and show that k(cat)[E]₀/K(m) can only be applied under very limited conditions. I consequently propose the use of a more universal first-order rate constant, k(cat)ES/[S]₀, where ES is the initial equilibrium concentration of the ES-complex derived from [E]₀, [S]₀ and K(m). Employing k(cat)ES/[S]₀ as the first-order rate constant enables all enzymatic reactions to be reasonably simulated under a wide range of conditions, and the catalytic and binding contributions to the rate constant of any enzyme can be determined under any and all conditions.