Carbonic anhydrase as a tool in studying the mechanism of reactions involving H2CO3, CO2 or HCO3−

Abstract

In the study of enzymic processes where C02 or HCO or H2CO are reactants, either as end products or as starting material, it is often of interest to know the order in which the three forms of carbonic acid of the reversible system 002 + H20 q H H+ + HCOG arise or react. For example, when urea is acted upon by urease in a buffer solution the end products are NH+, C02, and HCO_ and the question presents itself whether C02, or HCO, or H2002 is the