Experimental methods for kinetic study of suicide substrates.

The kinetic study of the enzymatic inactivation originated by suicide substrates can be carried out by means of two alternative approaches. One method considers the substrate concentration as practically constant during the assay time and provides explicit equations of product concentration vs. time. The other method involves the significant consumption of the substrate, yielding implicit equations of time vs. product concentration. The utility of both methods is discussed and adequate experimental conditions for their correct application are established.