Abstract

The substrate depletion approach is an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional method (observing product formation) of determining the kinetic parameters (K_M and V_max) of an enzyme. Obach and Reed-Hagen (Drug Metab Dispos 30:831–837, 2002) used an empirical relationship between substrate depletion rate constants and initial substrate concentration to determine kinetic parameters for a number of cytochrome P450-catalyzed reactions. We present a proof that this relationship can be derived from the Michaelis-Menten equation and, therefore, that kinetic parameters obtained by the substrate depletion approach are equivalent and comparable to those obtained by the traditional product formation approach. Analysis of a simulated data set produced similar kinetic parameters regardless of which approach was used, confirming the theoretical result.