Topic 5: Enzymes
Enzymes
• On your whiteboard, describe the structure of
proteins and how this relates to their function.
• Proteins are made of long chains of amino
acids bonded together. They form a specific
shape which determines their function.
Enzymes
• Catalysts are substances which speed up chemical reactions but are
not used up in the reaction.
• Enzymes are proteins with a specific shape, they act as biological
catalysts [in e.g. cells].
• They are involved in many processes including digestion, respiration
and photosynthesis. You will learn more about these processes later.
Think about!
• Using your whiteboards answer the following:
• What is being described?
• The small section of an enzyme which binds to the substrate?
• Active site
• Substances which increase the rate of chemical reactions but
are not changed by the reaction
• Catalysts
• Catalysts which are proteins
• Enzymes
• The complex formed when a substrate enters the active site
• Enzyme/substrate complex
• What is made/broken in the enzyme/substrate complex
• Bonds
• The molecule which no longer fits in the active site
• Product
Effect of
temperature
on enzyme
controlled
reactions
Think about!
• What is being described?
• Enzymes and substrates have more KE
• An increase in temperature
• The temperature at which an enzyme
controlled reaction occurs at its fastest rate
• Optimum
• It is so hot that bonds in the enzyme are broken
and the active site shape changes permanently
• Denaturation
Effect of pH
on enzyme
controlled
reactions
Think about!
• What is being described?
• The pH goes from 7 to 6
• Increase in acidity
• The pH goes from 6 to 9
• Increase in alkalinity
• The pH at which an enzyme controlled reaction occurs at its
fastest rate
• Optimum
• The pH is so alkaline that the active site shape changes
permanently
• Denaturation
• The pH is so acidic that the active site shape changes
permanently
• Denaturation
Rate of reaction graphs – what they show
• The increasing line shows
increasing rate of
reaction [as substrate
conc. increases].
• The levelled off line
shows the max rate of
reaction [the amount of
enzyme available (or
some other limiting
factor) stops reaction
going faster.
Amount of product formed graphs – what they show
• The gradient of the line
shows the rate of
reaction.
• [A steeper line = a
faster rate].
• The levelled off line
shows the reaction has
stopped [may mean
enzyme is denatured or
substrate has run out.
Calculating rate of reaction in exps.
• If a measureable amount of product is formed
e.g. volume of gas:
Rate = amount of product formed / time
• If the time taken for e.g. a colour change to
occur is measured:
Rate = 1 / time taken [for e.g. colour change]
When planning/changing methods
in enzyme experiments
IV = independent variable, CV = controlled variable
Think about!
• How would you measure the rate of reaction
for a reaction which produces a precipitate?
• Mass of product produced/time [gs-1]
• How would you measure the rate of reaction
when starch is being digested into reducing
sugar and you are measuring the time taken
for iodine added to test for the presence of
starch to change colour?
• 1/time taken [s-1]
Think about!
• If you were testing the effect of pH on an enzyme
controlled reaction you would control…
• Volume/conc. enzyme
• Volume/conc. substrate
• Temperature
• Measurement of end point for the reaction
• What would be different to the method above if you
were testing the effect of temperature on an enzyme
controlled reaction?
• Control pH
• Tubes of substrate/enzyme must be equilibrated
separately before being added together to make sure
required temperature is reached before reaction starts
1.
Think about!
• How would you measure the
rate of reaction on the following
graphs?
• 1. Draw a straight line from
substrate conc. to the graph and 2.
a straight line across to the rate
of reaction axis and read the
number.
• 2. Find the gradient of the
graph.
1.
Think about!
• What does a flat line mean on
the following graphs?
• 1. Reaction is occurring at its
maximum rate. [A factor e.g.
enzyme conc. is preventing the 2.
reaction from going any faster].
• 2. The reaction has stopped.
• [e.g. the enzyme is denatured
or the substrate has been used
up].
