What Are Catalytic Promiscuity and Evolutionary Innovation?
Catalytic promiscuity refers to the ability of an enzyme to catalyze multiple, often unrelated reactions. This promiscuity can serve as a starting point for evolutionary innovation, allowing organisms to adapt to new environments or utilize novel substrates. Through processes such as gene duplication and subsequent mutation, promiscuous enzymes can evolve to become highly specialized, enhancing the organism's metabolic repertoire.
