An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to an enzyme's active site,
or another site on the enzyme, and blocks the enzyme's catalysis of the
reaction. Enzyme inhibitors are generally specific to one enzyme and
control that enzyme's activity. They also control essential enzymes such
as proteases or nucleases that, if left unchecked, may damage a cell.
Many poisons produced by animals or plants are enzyme inhibitors, and
many drug molecules are enzyme inhibitors that inhibit an aberrant human
enzyme or an enzyme critical for the survival of a pathogen. Since anti-
pathogen inhibitors generally target only one enzyme, such drugs are
highly specific and generally produce few side effects in humans.
Medicinal enzyme inhibitors often have low dissociation constants,
meaning a minute amount of the inhibitor will inhibit the enzyme. The
discovery of enzyme inhibitors and their refinement are researched in
biochemistry and pharmacology.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme_inhibitor>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1802:
German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Matthias Olbers discovered
Pallas, the second asteroid ever identified, although it was considered
to be a planet at the time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Pallas>
1933:
After an on-board fire that may have been the first incident of
airliner sabotage, the Imperial Airways biplane City of Liverpool broke
apart in mid-air, killing fifteen people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1933_Imperial_Airways_Diksmuide_crash>
1997:
In the Tragedy of Otranto, the Italian Navy vessel Sibilla
collided with the Albanian civilian vessel Kateri i Radës, causing the
latter to sink and leading to dozens of deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_Otranto>
2015:
A siege of a hotel in Mogadishu by al-Shabaab militants, which
began the previous day and killed at least 20 people, ended with the
Somali Armed Forces recapturing the premises.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makka_al-Mukarama_hotel_attack>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
lengthman:
(nautical, rail transport, road transport, chiefly historical) A man
responsible for the care and maintenance of a length of canal, railway,
or road.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lengthman>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I'm beautiful in my way 'cause God makes no mistakes I'm on the
right track, baby, I was born this way Don't hide yourself in regret,
just love yourself, and you're set I'm on the right track, baby, I was
born this way.
--Lady Gaga
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lady_Gaga>
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