Enzyme Saturation and Maximum Velocity — NEET Biology
✅ Asked in NEET 2024With the increase in substrate concentration, the velocity of the enzymatic reaction rises at first. The reaction ultimately reaches a maximum velocity (Vmax) which is not exceeded by any further rise in concentration of the substrate. This is because the enzyme molecules are fewer than the substrate molecules and after saturation of these molecules, there are no free enzyme molecules to bind with the additional substrate molecules.
NTA tests understanding of enzyme kinetics: when substrate concentration increases, reaction velocity rises until Vmax is reached, after which it plateaus regardless of more substrate. The key concept is that Vmax depends on enzyme concentration, not substrate availability. Students commonly mistake thinking velocity increases indefinitely with substrate or confuse Vmax with substrate concentration. Remember: once all enzyme active sites are occupied (saturation), additional substrate cannot increase velocity because there are no free enzymes left to catalyze the reaction. This directly relates to enzyme efficiency and substrate availability in metabolic pathways.
Which of the following graphs depicts the effect of substrate concentration on velocity of enzyme catalysed reaction?
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