Does lower Km mean higher affinity?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the relationship between the dissociation constant (Km) and the affinity of a ligand for a receptor or enzyme. Lower Km values typically indicate higher affinity because it suggests that a lower concentration of substrate is needed to reach half of Vmax in enzyme kinetics.
Answer
Yes, lower Km means higher affinity.
The final answer is: yes, lower Km means higher affinity.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is: yes, lower Km means higher affinity.
More Information
The Michaelis constant (Km) is inversely related to the affinity of the enzyme for its substrate. A low Km denotes that a small amount of substrate is needed to saturate the enzyme, indicating high affinity.
Tips
Common mistakes include confusing Km with Vmax or not considering that different enzymes can have different Km values for the same substrate.
Sources
- The web page with info on - PubMed - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Why does a reduced Km-value mean a higher enzyme affinity? - Quora - quora.com
- Enzyme Kinetics - Chemistry Wisconsin - .chem.wisc.edu
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