Enzymes are catalysts that drive reaction rates forward. Most catalysts, but not all, are made up of amino acid chains called proteins that accelerate the rate of reactions in chemical systems. The fu...Enzymes are catalysts that drive reaction rates forward. Most catalysts, but not all, are made up of amino acid chains called proteins that accelerate the rate of reactions in chemical systems. The functionality of a catalyst depends on how the proteins are folded, what they bind to, and what they react with. For protein-based catalysts, amino acid polarization lies at the core of catalytic activity.