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What is the physical meaning of Km (Michaelis constant)?

a) Enzyme-substrate binding affinity
b) Maximum reaction rate
c) Enzyme concentration
d) Substrate concentration

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The physical meaning of Km (Michaelis constant) is the enzyme-substrate binding affinity (option a).

Step-by-step explanation:

The Km is the substrate concentration at which the velocity of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction is half the maximum velocity. It represents the affinity between the enzyme and the substrate, indicating how tightly the enzyme can bind to the substrate. A higher Km value indicates weak binding, while a lower Km value indicates strong binding.

Hence, The correct answer is a) Enzyme-substrate binding affinity.

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