) Enzymes with a kcat / Km ratio of about 108 M-1 s-1 are considered to show optimal catalytic efficiency. Fumarase, which catalyzes the reversible-dehydration reaction Fumarate + H2O  Malate has a ratio of turnover number to the Michaelis-Menten constant, (kcat / Km) of 1.6 × 108 for the substrate fumarate and 3.6 × 107 for the substrate malate. Because the turnover number for both substrates is nearly identical, what factors might be involved that explain the different ratio for the two substrates?