We have been trying to write rate equations for four cases of enzyme inactivation via covalent modification and protection against inactivation by a reversibly bound molecule. I is the inactivator, and P is the protecting agent, which could be a substrate, product or reversible inhibitor of E. We are following up the work of Jack Kyte, who was the first person that I know of to derive an equation for inactivation in which the inactivator decays via a first-order process (J. Biological Chemistry 1981). When the inactivator does not decay and is present in excess, the loss of enzyme activity follows a first-order decay.
I. stable inactivator; protection is complete under saturating amounts of P
II. stable inactivator; protection is incomplete at saturating P
III. inactivator decomposes; protection is complete
IV. inactivator decomposes; protection is incomplete.
I have a Chemdraw scheme if anyone wants to see it. When one performs inactivation studies with enzymes, it is typical to follow the fraction of enzyme that remains active with time of incubation with I. Free enzyme E and E•P are catalytically active, and E-I and E-I•P are inactive. E-I symbolizes a covalently modified form of the enzyme E. I am assuming that the binding of P to E is rapid and reversible.
The rate constant for reaction of I with E is ki, and the rate constant for the reaction of I with the E•P complex is kip. Kp is the dissociation constant of P from E. With some help I have worked out integrated forms of rate equations for these four cases. The equations look similar to some that have been derived for similar cases. My question involves the beginning of our derivations. For case IV I wrote
d{[E-I] + [E-I•P]}/dt = ki[E] + kiP[E•P]
I am not sure that it is OK to have a sum on the lefthand side. I have searched for information on how to write rate equations which include rapid equilibrium steps, but it would seem that I have looked in the wrong places. Most of the journal articles I have seen do not present derivations. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.