activity: how enzymes work
In this lab, you will study an enzyme that is found in the cells of many living tissues. The name of the enzyme is catalase (KAT-uh-LAYSS); it speeds up a reaction which breaks down hydrogen peroxide, a toxic chemical, into 2 harmless substances--water and oxygen. No. To break a protein down into its amino acids you will need enzymes. Enzymes are biological molecules (proteins) that act as catalysts and help complex reactions occur everywhere in life. Let’s say you ate a piece of meat. Proteases would go to work and help break down the peptide bonds between the amino acids. Recall that the substrate is the molecule that the enzyme acts on, and the products are the molecules produced by the reaction. Review why enzymes are reusable. Under certain conditions enzymes are denatured. An enzyme is denatured when the protein molecule loses its proper shape and cannot function. Some things that can denature an enzyme are high temperatures, extremes of pH, heavy metals, and alcohol. PRE-LAB PREP: Mix 1 molar concentration solutions of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. For the HCl, mix 2.2 ml of concentrated acid with enough distilled water to make a total volume of 25 ml. 2. The enzyme grabs on to the substrate at a special area called the active site. The combination is called the enzyme/substrate complex. Enzymes are very, very specific and don't just grab on to any molecule. The active site is a specially shaped area of the enzyme that fits around the substrate. In this biology lab, students will use pineapple juice as an enzyme and Jell-O as a substrate to illustrate an enzyme/substrate complex. Reflections and Discussion Questions: Students continue to work in their groups to answer the questions provided at the conclusion of the investigations. Final Assessment: Individually, students write a summary of their newfound understanding of enzymes, how they work and factors that affect their activity. Enzymes are biological molecules (typically proteins) that significantly speed up the rate of virtually all of the chemical reactions that take place within cells. They are vital for life and serve a wide range of important functions in the body, such as aiding in digestion and metabolism. pH and enzymes. Changes in pH also alter an enzyme’s shape. Different enzymes work best at different pH values. The optimum pH for an enzyme depends on where it normally works. For example, intestinal enzymes have an optimum pH of about 7.5. Enzymes in the stomach have an optimum pH of about 2. Graph of enzyme activity against pH. Page: 1  1. 2  2. 3  3. 4  4. How enzymes work for you Enzymes are used in a variety of the everyday products you use. And it's good for the environment as enzymes can replace chemicals and minimize energy consumption. Page ContentWhy we need enzymes Even though you may not be aware of it, enzymes play a very active role in your everyday life. Saturday afternoon, washing your clothes, you may not realize that enzymes are doing some of the dirty work for you. 1. Enzymes are proteins that are specific and they do almost all the work within a cell. 2. Enzymes are not used up or changed when breaking down a substrate and can perform the same action over and over very quickly. 3. Under certain conditions, enzymes are denatured. This happens when the protein molecule loses its proper shape and can no longer function.
Enzymes are biological molecules that significantly speed up the rate of virtually all of the chemical reactions that take place within cells.