What Role Does Catalysis Play in Trimethoprim Action?
Catalysis is central to the function of enzymes like dihydrofolate reductase. Enzymes act as biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions, often by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed. In the case of trimethoprim, the inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase prevents the catalysis of its substrate, dihydrofolic acid, into tetrahydrofolic acid. This inhibition disrupts the bacterial cell's ability to replicate DNA, effectively killing the bacteria.
