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@article{185340,
        author = {Mahesh Y},
        title = {The Essential Role of Catalysts in Cellular Metabolism and Biochemical Pathways},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {5},
        pages = {818-823},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=185340},
        abstract = {Catalysts are indispensable to life, enabling biochemical reactions to proceed rapidly and efficiently under physiological conditions. In biological systems, enzymes function as highly specific catalysts that lower activation energy barriers, thereby ensuring the smooth progression of metabolic processes essential for growth, energy production, and homeostasis. This review examines the pivotal role of enzymatic catalysis in cellular metabolism, focusing on key pathways such as glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
Enzymes accelerate reaction rates while maintaining substrate specificity through their active sites, allowing precise biochemical control. The paper further explores enzyme regulatory mechanisms, including feedback inhibition, allosteric modulation, and covalent modification, which collectively maintain metabolic balance. Additionally, it discusses various catalytic mechanisms—acid-base, covalent, and metal ion catalysis—and emphasizes the contributions of coenzymes and cofactors in enhancing enzyme efficiency.
Beyond natural metabolism, the application of biocatalysis in industrial biotechnology, green chemistry, and medicine underscores the growing relevance of enzymes in sustainable innovation. Understanding enzymatic catalysis provides critical insights into disease mechanisms, drug design, and synthetic biology, making it a cornerstone of both fundamental and applied biological research.},
        keywords = {Catalysis, Enzymes, Cellular Metabolism, Biochemical Pathways, Activation Energy, Substrate Specificity, Enzyme Regulation, Coenzymes, Biocatalysis, Metabolic Control},
        month = {October},
        }