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Many enzymes are inhibited by their own substrates, leading to velocity curves that rise to a maximum and then descend as the substrate concentration increases. Substrate inhibition is often regarded as a biochemical oddity and experimental annoyance. We show, using several case studies, that substrate inhibition often has important biological functions. In each case we discuss, the biological significance is different. Substrate inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase results in a steady synthesis of dopamine despite large fluctuations in tyrosine due to meals. Substrate inhibition of acetylcholinesterase enhances the neural signal and allows rapid signal termination. Substrate inhibition of phosphofructokinase ensures that resources are not devoted to manufacturing ATP when it is plentiful. In folate metabolism, substrate inhibition maintains reactions rates in the face of substantial folate deprivation. Substrate inhibition of DNA methyltransferase serves to faithfully copy DNA methylation patterns when cells divide while preventing de novo methylation of methyl-free promoter regions. Keywords:.b iological function; enzyme kinetics; substrate inhibitionThe kinetics of an enzymatic reaction are typically studied by varying the concentration of substrate and plotting the rate of product formation as a function of substrate concentration. In the conventional case this yields a typical hyperbolic Michaelis-Menten curve, and a linear reciprocal LineweaverBurk plot, from which the kinetic constants of the enzyme can be calculated. A surprisingly large number of enzymes do not behave in this conventional way. Instead, their velocity curves rise to a maximum and then decline as the substrate concentration goes up. This phenomenon is referred to as substrate inhibition, and it is estimated that it occurs in some 20% of enzymes [1]. A partial list of enzymes that show substrate inhibition appears in Box 1.Substrate inhibition is often interpreted as an abnormality that comes from using artificially high substrate concentration in a laboratory setting. In a review article on the mechanisms of substrate inhibition in 1994, Kuehl [2] commented that ''although recognized early on as an almost universal phenomenon, it has nevertheless met an almost universal disinterest. Probably the main reason for this neglect is that the majority of enzymologists and many authorities in the field regard substrate inhibition as being almost always a nonphysiological phenomenon.'' There are several reasons for suspecting that substrate inhibition is not a pathological phenomenon, but a biologically relevant regulatory mechanism. First, in many cases normal substrate concentrations are to the right of the velocity maximum, which indicates that these enzymes typically operate under substrate inhibition. Second, many enzymes have specialized sites where a second substrate molecule can bind and act as an allosteric inhibitor. For those enzymes, substrate inhibition is clearly a specially evolved property. Third, evidence is accumulating that substr...

Summary For migrating cells, budding yeast, and many other cells, it is critical that polarization occur towards one, and only one, site (the singularity rule). Polarity establishment involves amplification of Cdc42 foci via positive feedback, but the basis for singularity was unclear. To assess whether or not singularity is linked to Cdc42 amplification, we disabled the yeast cell’s endogenous amplification mechanism and synthetically re-wired the cells to employ a different positive feedback loop to generate Cdc42 foci. Re-wired cells violated the singularity rule, occasionally making two buds. Mathematical modeling indicated that, given sufficient time, competition between foci would promote singularity. In re-wired cells, slower competition sometimes resulted in a failure to develop a single “winning” focus before budding. Manipulations predicted to slow competition in normal cells also allowed occasional formation of two buds, suggesting that singularity is enforced by rapid competition between Cdc42 foci.

Background: Glutathione (GSH) plays an important role in anti-oxidant defense and detoxification reactions. It is primarily synthesized in the liver by the transsulfuration pathway and exported to provide precursors for in situ GSH synthesis by other tissues. Deficits in glutathione have been implicated in aging and a host of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Down syndrome and autism.

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