hard · MCAT
A researcher discovers a new small molecule that binds to the enzyme hexokinase. Kinetic studies show that in the presence of the molecule, the V_max of the reaction is unchanged, but the concentration of substrate required to reach 0.5 V_max increases from 2.0 mM to 8.0 mM.
Which of the following best describes the molecule's effect and its implications?
- It is a competitive inhibitor that decreases the apparent affinity of the enzyme for its substrate.
- It is a competitive inhibitor that can be overcome only by decreasing the temperature of the system.
- It is a noncompetitive inhibitor that binds to an allosteric site and prevents catalysis.
- It is an uncompetitive inhibitor that only binds to the enzyme-substrate complex.
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