Structural Biochemistry, Enzyme, Desolvation

Desolvation, in biochemistry, is the process where in an aqueous solution containing an enzyme and a substrate, water that is surrounding the substrate is replaced by the enzyme. In other words, water molecules that were once in between the substrate and the enzyme are displaced to allow the interaction of the substrate with the enzyme. The process also increases the entropy of the reaction, making the formation of the enzyme-substrate complex more thermodynamically favorable.

The method of desolvation involves drying a sample in a solution. An example of this involves electro-statically bound particles to dissociate by releasing water in an aqueous solution. This method is commonplace in atomic absorption spectroscopy, in which an atomic gas is created through a liquid sample. It can also be used in vaporization.

The displacement of ordered water molecules increases entropy and makes the formation of an enzyme-substrate complex more thermodynamically favorable. (Image: Jwleung, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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