title: The effect of temperature on enzyme activity: new insights and their implications.
abstract: The two established thermal properties of enzymes are their activation energy and their thermal stability. Arising from careful measurements of the thermal behaviour of enzymes, a new model, the Equilibrium Model, has been developed to explain more fully the effects of temperature on enzymes. The model describes the effect of temperature on enzyme activity in terms of a rapidly reversible active-inactive transition, in addition to an irreversible thermal inactivation. Two new thermal parameters, Teq and Delta Heq, describe the active-inactive transition, and enable a complete description of the effect of temperature on enzyme activity. We review here the Model itself, methods for the determination of Teq and Delta Heq, and the implications of the Model for the environmental adaptation and evolution of enzymes, and for biotechnology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand. r.daniel@waikato.ac.nz
authors.forename: Roy M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Danson
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eisenthal
authors.forename: Charles K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Michelle E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D004798:Enzymes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008956:Models, Chemical
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes