This is a comprehensive and detailed pre lab practice material that contains questions and correct answers on enzyme catalysis.
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1. Briefly describe three factors that could alter the activity of an enzyme.
a. One factor that can alter the activity of an enzyme is if there is a low or high salt
concentration. A low or high salt concentration can change the behavior of the
charged amino acid that compose the enzymes protein structure. (Stanford Lab)
b. A second factor that can affect the activity of an enzyme is if the temperature is
off. If the temperature rises above the optimum value enzymes become damaged,
lose functionality, or denature entirely. (Stanford virtual lab)
c. The third factor that can alter the activity of an enzyme is pH. pH affects the
ability for an enzyme to perform. Since enzymes only work within a very narrow
window of pH changing the pH can change the active site, the protein structure if
the enzyme itself, or the substrate ionization. (Stanford virtual lab)
2. How do you think the optimal temperature for enzymes found in thermophile bacteria
living in hot pools differ from that of the enzymes found in your body?
a. Thermophile bacteria is active at high temperatures. It is considered a
hyperthermophile enzyme which are very resistant to high temperatures.
Thermophilic enzymes are optimally active between 60-80 C. While enzymes
found in our body are optimal at our normal body temperature of 37 Celsius. They
need different temperatures to work.
3. How do you think the optimal pH of enzymes in the stomach compares to the optimal pH
for enzymes in blood?
The pH in the stomach needs to be at a lower pH to protect the body from infection they digest.
The optimal pH for the stomach is a 2. They need to be acidic enough to kill bacteria. The pH of
blood is more neutral at a pH between 7.35-7.45. (Dragani, 2018)
4. Take a look around your house and identify household products that work by means of an
enzyme. Name the products and indicate how you know they work with an enzyme.
a. A household product around my house that uses enzymes would be laundry soap.
The most common enzyeme that you find in detergent is protease. They break
down larger proteins by hydrolyzing specific peptide bonds. (James Burckett St.
Laurent, 2007)
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