Peptides catalyze reactions by providing a specific environment that stabilizes the transition state of a reaction. This can be achieved through various mechanisms such as acid-base catalysis, nucleophilic catalysis, and metal ion coordination. The catalytic activity of peptides often depends on the presence of specific amino acids that can act as catalytic residues. For instance, histidine can act as a general base, while serine can serve as a nucleophile.
