Enzymes are protein catalysts that accelerate biological reactions by reducing the activation energy required to reach the transition state. This process occurs via the induced fit mechanism, where the enzyme's active site undergoes conformational changes to specifically bind substrates, facilitating the formation of products without the enzyme being consumed. The domain is biochemistry, specifically the study of enzymatic kinetics and thermodynamics, where enzymes function as essential regulators that enable metabolic processes to proceed at physiological temperatures rather than requiring external heat.
Prerequisite chain context: requires Primary and Secondary Protein Structure in Biochemistry.