termsTerm
Enzyme
aka enzymes, enzymatic
A protein that speeds up a specific chemical reaction. Many drug targets are enzymes, because blocking the enzyme stops the reaction.
Enzymes bind their substrate in a pocket called the active site, convert it, and release the product thousands of times per second. Kinases, which attach phosphate groups, and PARP, which helps repair DNA, are enzymes; so are topoisomerases, which untangle DNA and are the targets of several chemotherapy drugs and ADC payloads. Small-molecule inhibitors usually work by lodging in the active site so the natural substrate cannot enter.
Category
Biology basics