What term describes the inhibition of a metabolic pathway by its end product binding to an enzyme?

The term that describes the inhibition of a metabolic pathway by its end product binding to an enzyme is feedback inhibition. This process is a crucial regulatory mechanism in cells, allowing them to maintain homeostasis and efficiently allocate resources. In feedback inhibition, when the concentration of the end product of a metabolic pathway reaches a certain level, it binds to an enzyme that acts earlier in the pathway. This binding alters the enzyme's activity, typically reducing its catalytic ability, thereby slowing down or stopping the production of more of the end product.

This type of regulation ensures that cells do not overproduce substances that are already in sufficient supply, preventing waste and allowing for metabolic balance. Feedback inhibition is a classic example of how metabolic pathways are finely tuned and regulated within biological systems.

In contrast, competitive inhibition involves different substrates competing for the same active site on an enzyme, while allosteric regulation refers to the alteration of an enzyme's activity through a molecule binding to a site other than the active site. Product inhibition can sometimes be used interchangeably with feedback inhibition, but it is less precise and does not encompass the broader regulatory framework provided by feedback mechanisms.