Chemistry
The Mechanistic Basis for the pH-Rate Profile of Amidase Enzymes
Quick fact
The pH optimum of an amidase is not simply a matter of enzyme stability—it reflects the precise protonation states of two or more catalytic groups that must be simultaneously correct for catalysis to occur.
Why this is interesting
You might expect an enzyme to work best at a single pH, but amidases often show a bell-shaped curve—why does activity rise, peak, and then fall?