Specificity in the hydrolysis of N-acyl-L-phenylalanine 4-nitroanilides by chymotrypsin

Abstract
The affinity of N-acyl-L-phenylalanine 4-nitroanilides for chymotrypsin is enhanced as the hydrophobicity of non-amino acid residues in the P2-position of the substrates increases, whereas kcat remains nearly constant. On the other hand, if alanine or leucine is in the P2-position kcat increases with decreasing KM.