Benzoic acid and Ascorbic acid on enzymes

[JTeighty]

Hi,

How does benzoic acid inhibit bacterial growth and act as a preservative? Will this have anything to do with the way it acts as an enzyme inhibitor? How does it actually inhibit the enzyme? What is the mechanism? Is it the same for Ascorbic acid?

Thanks

JT80

[JackBean]

go to http://www.brenda-enzymes.org/index.php4
you can look for the inhibitors and stuff

[JTeighty]

Hi,

thanks for the response. I used that website to find out that they do inhibit the enzyme but my question was how do they usually inhibit enzymes? Do they have a sort of mechanism? Eg do they denature the enzymes by deforming the active site?

[JackBean]

you have references at Brenda, so you can try to look to them

(but I think, that denaturation is not taken as inhibition)

[JTeighty]

(but I think, that denaturation is not taken as inhibition)

Thanks. That's a good point.