3 replies to this topic

[lyok]

Dear all,

I have been using the website http://www.brenda-enzymes.org and I have been looking up some information on certain enzymes, I do however have a question about the "SPECIFIC ACTIVITY [µmol/min/mg)". This is one of the parameters the website gives you, but what does this mean?

I havent had a lot of biochemistry and cant find any information about it that I understand.

[rkay447]

This is a measurement of how much product is formed by an enzyme in a given amount of time per mg of enzyme .  I use specific activity for kinase reactions and what this means is that my kinase is capable of transferring X umol phosphate onto a substrate in a certain amount of time given a certain amount of active kinase.  Usually a pure enzyme gives a constant number so this is also a good measurement of an enzyme's purity.

[lyok]

Thank you very much rkay447

[Inmost sun]

the specific activity is especially important if you work with non-pure or crude enzyme preparations