One of two or more contributing factors.
Chat with our AI personalities
A cofactor is a non-protein chemical compound or metallic ion that is required for an enzyme's activity. Cofactors can assist enzymes in catalyzing reactions by helping with substrate binding, stabilizing reaction intermediates, or transferring electrons.
A cofactor refers to a macromolecule that attaches to an enzyme to assist in catalysis. This can be a metal ion or a coenzyme.
Maltase does not require a cofactor or activator for its function. It is an enzyme that is able to catalyze the hydrolysis of maltose into glucose without the need for additional molecules to assist in the reaction.
Metals ions are frequently cofactors of proteins.
Membrane cofactor protein (MCP) acts as a cofactor for Factor I, which degrades C3b and C4b proteins, thus preventing the amplification of complement activation. By accelerating the decay of C3 convertases, MCP helps regulate the complement system and protect host cells from excessive complement-mediated damage.
This type of enzyme is called a cofactor, where the protein part is the enzyme and the vitamin is the cofactor. In this specific example, the vitamin likely acts as a cofactor by assisting the enzyme in catalyzing the blood clotting reaction. Cofactors are essential for the proper functioning of many enzymes in the body.