Aspects of fractal kinetics of enzymatic reactions by Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract

Using Monte Carlo simulations in 3D media we investigate the effect of macromolecular crowding on biochemical reactions following a Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In the system substrate and product particles cannot overlap and the effect of crowders mobility and concentration are examined. The simulation data are analyzed in terms of parameters describing the time dependence of the rate coefficient. Our results indicate a fractal like kinetics with different degrees of fractality depending on crowders features. Even though small, when crowders mobility rises kinetics fractality decreases due to enhancement of diffusional movements of the reactants. Instead, increasing the crowders density in the system kinetics fractality presents a smooth growth as less free volume is available for reactants.