Enzymes
(To the tune of "Downtown")
Copyright 2008 Kevin Ahern

I am very pleased that Barbara and Neal Gladstone have made a professional recording of this song (complete song downloadable HERE) and others can be downloaded HERE. You will need to unzip the file to release the MP3. I am providing all songs for free download, but hope you will support this effort by purchasing my Metabolic Melody albums or calendar at the URLs at the bottom of the lyrics to this song. (Also, check out Neal Gladstone's Music at http://nealgladstone.com/wd/ng/)

Reactions alone
Could starve your cells to the bone
Thank God we all produce
Enzymes

Units arrange
To make the chemicals change
Because you always use
Enzymes  

Sometimes mechanisms run like they are at the races
Witness the Kcat of the carbonic anhydrases

How do they work?

Inside of the active site
It just grabs onto a substrate
and squeezes it tight
In an
ENZYME!
CAT-al-y-sis
In an
ENZYME!
V versus S
In an
ENZYME!
All of this working for you
(Enzyme, enzyme)  

Energy peaks
Are what an enzyme defeats
In its catalysis
Enzymes

Transition state
Is what an enzyme does great
And you should all know this
Enzymes

Catalytic action won't run wild - don't get hysteric
Cells can throttle pathways with an enzyme allosteric

You know it's true

So when an effector fits
It will just rearrange
all the sub-u-nits
Inside an
ENZYME!
Flipping from R to T
ENZYME!
Slow catalytically
ENZYME!
No change in Delta G
(Enzyme, enzyme)

You should relax
When seeking out the Vmax though
There are many steps
Enzymes

Lineweaver Burk
Can save a scientist work
With just two intercepts
Enzymes  

Plotting all the data from kinetic exploration
Let's you match a line into a best fitting equation

Here's what you do

Both axes are inverted then
You can determine Vmax and
Establish Km
for your
ENZYMES!
Sterically holding tight
ENZYMES!
Substrates positioned right
ENZYMES!
Inside the active site
Enzymes (Enzymes, enzymes, enzymes)

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