What conditions are most favourable for enzyme function?
WHAT CONDITIONS CAN AFFECT ENZYME FUNCTION
WHAT IS AN ENZYME?
ENZYME FUNCTION
pH
Function within the body
Function in man-made products
Function in plants/animals
temperature
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FAVOURABLE
enzymatic concentration
substrate concentration
presence of inhibitors
how is a condition 'most' favourable
The best function
the most successful outcomes
Optimal rate of reaction
Examples of enzymes and their functions
Enzymes are proteins that speed up reactions within the body (catalysts) (Cleveland Clinic, 2021)
Enzymes are sensitive to acidity and alkalinity. (Cleveland Clinic, 2022)
Oxidoreductases enhance the rate of oxidation and reduction reactions. (Sciencing, 2022)
Many enzymes function best at a pH (acidity) level close to the pH the body normally maintains, which is in the range of 7 (that is, neither alkaline nor acidic). Other enzymes function best at low pH (high acidity) because of the demands of their environment (Sciencing, 2022)
How Enzymes Work
Most enzymes work by lowering the activation energy of a chemical reaction, causing the reaction to occur at a faster rate (Sciencing, 2022)
Transferases speed along the transfer of groups of atoms. (Sciencing, 2022)
Hydrolases accelerate hydrolysis reactions. (Sciencing, 2022)
Lyases enhance the rate of the addition of one molecular group to a double bond or the removal of two groups from nearby atoms to create a double bond. (Sciencing 2022)
Isomerases speed up isomerization reactions. (Sciencing, 2022)
Ligases (also called synthetases) enhance the rate of the joining of two molecules. They usually accomplish this by making use of energy derived from the breakdown of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). (Sciencing, 2022)
Inhibition
In a process called an allosteric interaction, the shape of the enzyme is temporarily changed when a molecule binds to a portion of it away from where it joins the reactant. This leads to a loss of function.(Sciencing 2022)
In the presence of a given amount of enzyme, the rate of an enzymatic reaction increases as the substrate concentration increases until a limiting rate is reached, after which further increase in the substrate concentration produces no significant change in the reaction rate. (Libretexts, 2022)
Generally produces a bell-curve type shape when graphed.
The reaction rate increases as the concentration of the enzyme (catalyst) is increased. (Libretexts, 2022)
What is it used for
Fastest Results
Best Results
The digestive system – enzymes help the body break down larger complex molecules into smaller molecules, such as glucose, so that the body can use them as fuel. (Medical News Today, 2021)
Essential for digestion, liver function, and more (Cleveland Clinic, 2021)
Enzymes help in the process of DNA replication by uncoiling DNA and copying the information
Liver enzymes – the liver breaks down toxins in the body. To do this, it uses a range of enzymes.
The main role of enzymes is to aid in digestion by breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates (Cleveland Clinic, 2021)
Stain Removal
Photosynthesis
An enzyme in photosystem II splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The energized electron is then passed along through another enzyme called the cytochrome b6-f complex, which in turn pumps positively charged hydrogen molecules across a membrane to create a store of potential energy. An enzyme called ATP synthase uses that potential energy to synthesize a molecule called ATP, which is the most common energy currency for cells, and which is used in the dark reactions of photosynthesis. (Seattle Pi, 2022)
Food/Drink Production
Beer
The most important diastatic enzymes in brewing are amylases, specifically alpha- and beta-amylase.
Amylase - Removes stains from starch-based foods
Lipase breaks down fatty materials
Cellulase breaks down small cotton fibres
Proteases and Lipase improve the overall performance of many detergents and stain removers
Within the body
In man-made products
Stain removal
bleaching
food production
Metabolism
digestion
Stain removal
Cleanest stain
fastest time for removal of stain
Best time vs outcome
How to measure the cleaning ability of an enzyme-added detergent
Photograph the stain before and after, comparing the intensity of each stain to determine the effectiveness
Utilise a spectrophotometer to analyse the effectiveness of each detergent
Smell test - determine the difference in smell before and after laundry detergent is used
Stain various swatches, comparing before and after the use of various different cleaning detergents
Denaturation
Optimal Temperature
For most chemical reactions is that a temperature rise of 10°C approximately doubles the reaction rate. (Libretexts, 2022)
After a certain point, an increase in temperature causes a decrease in the reaction rate, due to denaturation of the protein structure and disruption of the active site. For many proteins, denaturation occurs between 45°C and 55°C.
Even though an enzyme may appear to have a maximum reaction rate between 40°C and 50°C, most biochemical reactions are carried out at lower temperatures because enzymes are not stable at these higher temperatures and will denature after a few minutes.