A complete understanding of enzyme catalysis requires knowledge of both transition state
features and the detailed motions of atoms that cause reactant molecules to form and …

This article is an essay that discusses the concepts underlying the application of modern
transition state theory to reactions in enzymes. Issues covered include the potential of mean …

HIV-1 Protease (HIV-1 PR) is one of the three enzymes essential for the replication process
of HIV-1 virus, which explains why it has been the main target for design of drugs against …

The role of protein motions in promoting the chemical step of enzyme catalysed reactions
remains a subject of considerable debate. Here, a unified view of the role of protein …

Heavy enzyme isotope effects occur in proteins substituted with 2H-, 13C-, and 15N-
enriched amino acids. Mass alterations perturb femtosecond protein motions and have been …

Hydride transfer is one of the most common reactions catalyzed by enzymatic systems, and it
has become an object of study because of possible significant quantum tunneling effects. In …

Chemical ligation has been used to alter motions in specific regions of dihydrofolate
reductase from E. coli and to investigate the effects of localized motional changes on …

Isotopically labeled enzymes (denoted as “heavy” or “Born–Oppenheimer” enzymes) have
been used to test the role of protein dynamics in catalysis. The original idea was that the …

Heavy-isotope substitution into enzymes slows down bond vibrations and may alter
transition-state barrier crossing probability if this is coupled to fast protein motions. ATP …

Enzymes are extraordinarily effective catalysts evolved to perform well-defined and highly
specific chemical transformations. Studying the nature of rate enhancements and the …