The process of catalyst also affects the state of our global environment. Automobiles use catalytic converters to treat exhaust. The metals platinum and palladium facilitate the chemical conversion of noxious gases to more inert forms, greatly decreasing the environmental impact of combustion engines. Probably the most important impact of catalyst is on life itself. All important biochemical reactions are catalyzed by molecules called enzymes.
Most enzymes are proteins which catalyze specific reactions within cells.
Some examples include polymerases, which synthesize DNS and RNA, peptidases, which digest protein, and ATP synthases, which produce energy for the many different cell activities.