How Does pH Influence the Activity of Amino Acid Residues?
The pH of the environment can significantly affect the ionization state of amino acid residues, particularly those involved in catalysis. For example, histidine can switch between protonated and deprotonated states depending on the pH, altering its ability to participate in catalytic reactions. Enzymes often have an optimal pH range where their catalytic residues are in the correct ionization state for maximum activity.
