What we needto understand enzyme
inhibition concept
• Enzyme kinetics -It is the study of how
enzymes bind substrates and convert them
into products. It helps in understanding
reaction rates, enzyme efficiency, and the
effects of inhibitors.
• Types of enzyme inhibitors: non-covalent and
covalent inhibitors
Details of theenzyme kinetics
• K1=Rate constant for substrate binding; A higher k1means
faster substrate binding
• K2=Rate constant for substrate dissociation (breaking of
the ES complex)
• kcat(also called the turnover number) is a key kinetic
parameter in enzyme reactions. It represents the number
of substrate molecules converted into product by a single
enzyme molecule per unit time when the enzyme is fully
saturated with substrate.
• A higher kcatmeans the enzyme can process more
substrate molecules per second.
5.
• Michaelis-Menten equationhelps in understanding
enzyme efficiency and how enzymes behave under
different substrate concentrations.
• It relates substrate concentration with rate of the
enzymatic reaction
• The Michaelis-Menten equation is a hyperbolic
curve, whereas the Lineweaver-Burk plot
transforms it into a straight line for easier
determination of KM and Vmax
.
• A low KMmeans the enzyme has a high affinity for
the substrate, while a high KM means low affinity.
Inhibitor Type
Binding
Speed
Reversibility BindingStrength Mechanism of Action Example
Rapid Reversible
Inhibitors
Fast Fully reversible
Weak to moderate
(Kiin micromolar
range)
Binds quickly and dissociates
easily; includes competitive,
non-competitive, and
uncompetitive inhibitors
Ibuprofen (competitive
inhibitor of COX
enzymes)
Tight Binding
Inhibitors
Fast
Reversible but
with very low Ki
Very strong (Kiin
nanomolar range)
Binds enzyme tightly, often
competing with substrate, but
still reversible
Methotrexate (inhibits
dihydrofolate
reductase)
Slow Binding
Inhibitors
Slow Reversible Moderate to strong
Takes time to form a stable
enzyme-inhibitor complex, but
can still dissociate
FK506 (binds FKBP to
inhibit immune
response)
Slow-Tight Binding
Inhibitors
Slow
Initially reversible,
but can become
quasi-irreversible
Extremely strong
Forms an initial weak complex,
then undergoes conformational
changes leading to tighter
binding
Ritonavir (HIV
protease inhibitor)
Multisubstrate
Analogs
Varies Reversible Moderate to strong
Mimics multiple substrates,
blocking multi-substrate
enzyme function
PALA (mimics ATP
and carbamoyl
phosphate in aspartate
transcarbamoylase)
Transition State
Analogs
Fast
Irreversible or
extremely tight
Very strong (Kiin
picomolar range)
Mimics the high-energy
transition state of the substrate,
stabilizing enzyme binding and
preventing catalysis
Penicillin (mimics
transition state in
bacterial
transpeptidase)
8.
Rapid reversible inhibitors
•This class of inhibitors acts by binding to the target
enzyme's active site in a rapid, reversible, and
noncovalent fashion.
• The net result is that the active site is blocked and
the substrate is prevented from binding.
• There are 3 types
• Competitive
• Uncompetitive
• Non competitive
the kinetic signatureof competitive inhibitors: with increasing inhibitor concentrations,
KM is increased but Vmax is unaffected.
Non-competitive inhibitors: Vmax is reduced and the Km is not affected.
Uncompetitive inhibitors: Vmax and Km are decreased
12.
Competitive inhibition
This reactionis competitively inhibited by malonate (-00CCH2C00-) that
has, like succinate, two carboxylate groups. It is therefore able to bind to
the enzyme's active site but, with only one carbon atom between the
carboxylates, further reaction is impossible.
Substrate analogs are rarely useful as enzyme inhibitors, given that large
concentrations are required for inhibition, and their inhibition
is readily overcome by any buildup of substrate. However, they are often
useful probes for determining enzyme specificity and even mechanism.
13.
Uncompetitive inhibition/ anti-competitive
inhibition
•takes place when an enzyme inhibitor binds only to the complex
formed between the enzyme and the substrate (the E-S complex).
Uncompetitive inhibition typically occurs in reactions with two or
more substrates or products
14.
Example: cyanide noncompetitivelyinhibits cytochrome c oxidase, the last
enzyme in the electron transport chain. It leads to cyanide toxicity
Heavy metals such as mercury, lead bind with enzymes in a non-
competitive manner
15.
Noncompetitive inhibition
It isa type of allosteric regulation, is a specific type of
enzyme inhibition characterized by an inhibitor binding to an
allosteric site resulting in decreased efficacy of the enzyme.
• An allosteric site is simply a site that differs from the active
site- where the substrate binds.
• In this inhibition, the inhibitor binds at the allosteric site
independently of substrate binding
• the inhibitor does not compete with the substrate for active
site binding.
• Noncompetitive inhibition reduces the maximal rate of an
enzyme’s catalyzed reaction while leaving the affinity of
the enzyme for its substrate unchanged
17.
Slow-binding inhibitors
• Slow-bindinginhibitors are compounds that
inhibit their target enzymes in a time-
dependent manner.
• Slow-binding inhibition is a phenomenon in
which equilibrium between enzyme, inhibitor,
and enzyme-inhibitor (EI)1. complex is
established slowly on a time scale of seconds
to minutes
18.
Both slow-binding andslow-tight binding inhibitors
interact with enzymes gradually, but they differ in
binding strength, mechanism, and reversibility.
19.
Arginase can beinhibited by slow binding
inhibitors
Arginase is a key metalloenzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of
L-arginine into L-ornithine and urea. It plays a crucial role in
several physiological processes
20.
• Urea CycleRegulation:
o Arginase is essential for nitrogen metabolism, especially in the liver, where it
helps detoxify ammonia by converting arginine into urea for excretion.
• Polyamine Synthesis:
o The product L-ornithine is a precursor for polyamines (putrescine,
spermidine, and spermine), which are essential for cell proliferation,
differentiation, and tissue repair.
• Nitric Oxide (NO) Regulation:
o Arginase competes with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) for L-arginine,
reducing NO production. NO is a critical molecule for vasodilation,
immune response, and neurotransmission.
• Cancer Progression & Immune Suppression:
o Many cancers overexpress arginase to suppress immune responses by
depleting L-arginine, which is essential for T-cell activation.
o Arginase inhibitors are being explored as anticancer agents.
• Neurodegenerative & Inflammatory Disorders:
o Arginase overactivity is implicated in diseases like Alzheimer’s, asthma,
pulmonary fibrosis, and arthritis.
21.
Nitric oxide synthasealso acts on Arginine
Arginase and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) are functionally interconnected because they
both use L-arginine as a substrate. The balance between these two enzymes determines
whether L-arginine is converted into urea and ornithine (via arginase) or into nitric
oxide (NO) and citrulline (via NOS). This interplay has profound effects on vascular
function, immune response, and disease progression.
· Arginase and NOS compete for the same substrate: L-arginine.
· If arginase activity is high, less L-arginine is available for NOS, reducing
NO production.
· If NOS activity dominates, more NO is produced, leading to vasodilation and
immune activation.
• Slow-binding inhibitorsinteract with the enzyme gradually,
leading to a time-dependent inhibition that stabilizes an
inactive enzyme-inhibitor complex. These inhibitors are
important for sustained therapeutic effects
• Hydroxyarginine Derivatives
o Compounds like N-hydroxy-L-arginine (NOHA) act as
transition-state analogs, binding slowly but strongly to the
enzyme.
o They are promising for cardiovascular and immune-
modulatory therapies.
24.
Tight-binding inhibitors
• Tight-binding,reversible inhibitors have
dissociation constants between irreversible
inhibitors and the highly reversible ones.
Tight-binding inhibitors are those of which a
significant fraction of the total inhibitor binds
to the enzyme in order to observe
intermediate levels of inhibition.
25.
Inhibitors classified onthe basis of
structure /mechanism
Reactants and products are called as ground states of the enzymatic reaction
Compounds that mimic the substrates and block the enzymatic reaction are
substrate analogs
Ground state analogs, multisubstrate analogs, translational analogs