What are the optimum operating conditions for enzymes?
Type of enzyme
Type 1: Catalase.
Catalase is an antioxidant enzyme that acts by breaking down H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide) into water and oxygen
Type 2: Lipase.
Lipase is a type of digestive enzyme. It's job is to aid your body in digesting and breaking down fat, so that it may be absorbed in the small intestine. Some examples are foods with fatty acids or oils E.G: Peanut butter or butter
Type 3: Sucrase. Sucrase is a type of digestive enzyme whos job in the body is to catalyze the hydrolysis sucrose to it's products, fructose and glucose. Sucrose appears in most fruits and vegetables, along with alot of processed foods, such as hot dogs.
Type 4: Protease. Protease is a type of digestive enzyme whos job is to catalayse the process of breaking down the peptide bonds of protiens so that they may be digested into amino acids. Some examples are beef and chicken
Optimum Operating Conditions
Chosen enzyme: Protease. Protease has been chosen becasuse it is needed to react with the chosen substrate, protein
Operating Condition 1: Temperature.
In most cases, increasing the temperature speeds up the reaction, however, due to the fact that enzymes are proteins, extreme high temperatures can denature them, changing their shape and ultimately making them useless.
Operating Condition 2: PH Level
Each type of enzyme has an optimum PH range, and going outside of this range can majorly decrease the performance of the enzyme. In the case of protease, the ideal PH range is 7-12, with an optimum PH of 8.
Operating Condition 3: Enzyme/Substrate Imbalance
If there is an imbalance in the amount of enzyme to the amount of substrate, and there is more of one than the other, the efficiency that the enzyme works at will be majorly affected because there isnt enough enzymes to catalyse the amount of substrate, or vice versa.
Types of Substrate
Substrate 1: Fats
Fats are a type of substrate that are catalyzed by the enzyme lipase. After fats are digested/catalyzed, they turn into glucose, and other fatty acids.
Substrate 2: Proteins
Proteins are a type of substrate that are catalyzed by the enzyme protease. After proteins are catalyszed/digested, they turn into smaller plypeptides and amino acids.
Substrate 3: Sucrose
Sucrose is a type of substrate that is catalyzed by the enzyme sucrase. After sucrose is catalyzed/digested, it turns into fructose and glucose.
Substrate 4: H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide)
H2O2 is a type of substrate that is catalyzed by an enzyme, catalase. After H2O2 is catalyzed, it turns into water and oxygen. If not catalyzed, H2O2 can be detrimental to the cells of the body, and cause oxidative damage.
Chosen Operating Condition: Temperature. Temperature has been chosen as the operating condition becasue it is very simple to measure and can be very easily controlled aswell
Chosen Substrate: Proteins.
Proteins have been chosen as the substrate in this experiment becasue it is needed to react with the chosen enzyme, protease.
Variables
Dependent variable: Reaction Rate of Protease with Protein.
The rate of reaction of the protease enzyme under different working conditions, over multiple trials will be measured and used to determine the optimum operating conditions for this enzyme. Proteins have alsos been chosen as the substrate to react with protease, as protease will not react with any other substrate
Independent variable: Temperature
The temperature will be used as an independent variable and will be changed altered across multiple trials and will be used to help determine the results to the question: What are the optimum operating conditions for enzymes.