Enzymology

Any living being is a reflection of its enzyme arsenal. We are and do what our enzymes permit.

This book was written, as all textbooks should be, with the requirements of the student firmly in mind. It is intended to provide an informative introduction to enzymology, and to give a balanced, reasonably-detailed, account of all the various theoretical and applied aspects of the subject which are likely to be included in an honours degree course. Furthermore, some of the later chapters may serve as a bridge to more advanced texts for students wishing to proceed further in this area of biochemistry. Although the book is intended mainly for students taking first degree courses which have a substantial biochemistry component, large portions may be of value to students on comparable courses in biological sciences, biomedical sciences or forensic sciences, and even to ones emolled on, in one direction, foundation programmes, or, in the other, MSc or other advanced courses who are approaching the subject of enzymology for the first time (or the first time in many years). Enzymes are the lead actors in the drama of life. Without these molecular machines the genetic information stored in DNA is worthless. With rising attention to the fashionable fields like molecular biology, genetic engineering, and biotechnology, the techniques to manipulate DNA have occupied center stage. Being popular, many concepts of molecular biology/genetic engineering are now introduced to undergraduates. Unfortunately, this has happened at the cost of other fundamental facets of biology, including enzymology. In the excitement to collate volumes of data for Systems Biology (and the various “Omics” fashions), the beauty and vigor of careful analysis – one enzyme at a time – is neglected. It is an intellectual challenge to assay individual enzymes while avoiding complications due to others – an almost forgotten activity in modern biology. Many in the present generation assume that performing one standard assay will tell you everything about that enzyme