KINETIC-ANALYSIS OF THE MICHAELIS-MENTEN MECHANISM IN WHICH THE SUBSTRATE AND THE PRODUCT ARE UNSTABLE

1. A kinetic analysis of the Michaelis-Menten mechanism for the case i n which both the substrate and the product are unstable, either sponta neously or as the result of the addition of a reagent, has been made. 2. The explicit time course equations of the immediate product and the species into which it subsequently is transformed have been derived u nder the conditions of rapid equilibrium and limiting substrate concen tration. 3. The validity of these equations has been checked using num erical simulations. 4. The kinetic data analysis which we suggest is b ased on the time progress curves of the product or, in the case in whi ch the product accumulation cannot be monitored experimentally, on the time progress curve of the species into which the immediate product i s transformed. 5. This analysis allows the determination of the rate a nd the equilibrium constants if adequate experimental results are avai lable. 6. We have chosen a numerical example, with which we illustrate the procedure of the kinetic data analysis by simulating some curves with assumed experimental errors.