The specific molecule or molecules that an enzyme acts upon during a chemical reaction. The substrate binds to the enzyme's active site where the reaction occurs.
From Latin 'sub' (under) and 'stratum' (layer), literally meaning 'underlying layer,' originally referring to the surface on which organisms grow. In biochemistry, it represents what the enzyme 'works on.'
The substrate is like the raw material that gets fed into an enzyme's molecular factory! The relationship is so specific that enzymes and substrates fit together like a lock and key, ensuring the right reaction happens every time.
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