When substrate is present in excess, the rate of an enzyme catalysed reaction is

  • A. independent of enzyme concentration
  • B. directly proportional to the enzyme concentration
  • C. inversely proportional to the enzyme concentration
  • D. zero

Explanation

With substrate always available, every additional enzyme molecule adds its own turnover to the total, so doubling the enzyme doubles the rate and the graph is a straight line through the origin. The line only levels off if the substrate begins to run short and becomes limiting instead. This is the reverse of the saturation curve obtained when enzyme is fixed and substrate is increased.

Related questions