turnover number

Turnover number, also known as catalytic rate, measures the maximum number of substrate molecules an enzyme can convert into product per unit time when fully saturated with substrate. It reflects the enzyme's efficiency, showing how quickly it works under ideal conditions. For example, if an enzyme's turnover number is 100, it can produce 100 molecules of product per second when working at full capacity. This helps scientists compare the effectiveness of different enzymes or understand how well an enzyme can facilitate a specific chemical reaction.