Biochemistry - The Chemical Reactions of Living Cells, Volume 2 - D. Metzler 1980

Types of reactions catalyzed by enzymes

This chapter and the remainder of the book are dedicated primarily to specific reactions of metabolic pathways. Metabolic pathways constitute a complex network of branched and interdependent sequences of biochemical transformations. Trying to memorize all these pathways is largely futile. However, some of the major metabolic sequences must be learned, and their significance clearly understood. Both of these tasks will be easier to accomplish if we first examine the individual enzyme-catalyzed Chemical Reactions and only then the metabolic pathways themselves. This will help us grasp the very logic behind integrating individual reactions into metabolic pathways. Nevertheless, before proceeding with this plan, it is useful to briefly review the most important metabolic pathways, which will facilitate the subsequent Structure/133.html">Discussion of individual Chemical Reactions of specific biological significance.