What is the Role of Cofactors in Protein Synthesis?
Cofactors are non-protein molecules that assist enzymes in catalysis. They can be metal ions or organic molecules such as coenzymes. In protein synthesis, cofactors play vital roles in stabilizing enzyme-substrate complexes and participating directly in catalytic reactions. For instance, magnesium ions are essential cofactors for RNA polymerase during transcription and for ribosomal activity during translation.
