Lab 4 - Enzymes &

The Catalase Lab

What are Enzymes?
Enzymes are Biological Catalysts - substances
that increase the speed of chemical reactions.
When an enzyme is present it takes less energy
to start a chemical reaction (activation energy)
Enzymes help maintain homeostasis
Enzymes make it so life is possible


Enzymes are proteins.
Proteins are made up of amino acids
Enzymes work with a very specific substrate to
speed up a reaction

Enzymes are large proteins with one
or more deeps folds on its surface,
these folds form pockets (active
sites). Enzymes act on the substrate,
by fitting into the active site like a
puzzle
Enzymes and their substrates
Each enzyme has a definite
3-D shape that allows it to
bind with its substrate
Substrate- substance on
which an enzyme acts during
a chemical reaction
Enzymes act only on specific
substrates, which means
they break down specific
substances (like a Lock and
Key)

Why do we need enzymes?
All activity of life depends on them.
The leaves turning green in the spring, the
ripening of foods, the digestion of food, the
production of DNA and hormones -- all require
enzymes.
Without enzymes life as we know it is NOT
possible!

What affects enzymes in a reaction?

Temperature
pH

Temperature
There is one temperature
at which specific enzymes
work best.
This optimal temperature
is usually around human
body temperature (37.5
o
C) for the enzymes in
human cells.
Above this temperature
the enzyme structure
begins to break down
(denature) (fever)

pH
Enzymes have an
optimal pH. However
the optimum is not the
same for each enzyme.
Enzymes are found at
different places in your
body, and in the
environment
Enzymes in the body vs.
stomach

Factors that affect enzyme activity
Temperature
Low temperature (cold)=reactions are too slow
High temperature (hot)=can change the structure of proteins and
alter the enzymes function forever
pH
pH scale goes from 0-14
pH of pure water is 7
Basic (pH higher than 7); Acidic (pH lower that 7)
Changes in pH can also change the structure of proteins and alter
the enzymes function.
Organisms can only tolerate (stand) small changes in pH because
every cell has a particular pH at which it functions best.

Examples of Enzymes and their
Substrates
Enzyme Substrate
Amylase---------------------Starch
Maltase----------------------Maltose
Sucrase----------------------Sucrose
Lipase------------------------Lipids (Fats)
Pepsin------------------------Proteins
Catalase--------------Hydrogen Peroxide

Catalase
2H
2
0
2
2H
2
0 + 0
2
(gas)
The products of the above reaction are oxygen
gas and water, two non-poisonous molecules.
In living cells, the oxygen can be used for
cellular respiration and the water can be
excreted.

H
2
O
2
is similar to H
2
O
Hydrogen peroxide is chemically very similar to
water. Where the chemical formula for water is H
2
O,
hydrogen peroxide is H
2
O
2
. A molecule of water
contains two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of
oxygen. The only difference between hydrogen
peroxide and water is a little oxygen. That may not
sound like much of a difference, but it is. In
chemistry, things can change a lot when you change
the formula.

Diluted
An extra atom of oxygen also makes hydrogen
peroxide a very different chemical, which can
be dangerous if it is concentrated. That is why
the stuff you get at the grocery is only 3%. The
rest is plain water and it is diluted enough to
make it safe for household use.

Scientific Terminology
Control the CONSTANT between
experimental groups
Independent variable the one thing that
changes between experimental groups
Dependent variable MEASURED RESULT
Follow instructions on diagram on page 4-8!
Information for tubes 5 and 6 is switched on
page 4-9.
Information on back table is correct.


Grab tube rack, follow set-up
directions on whiteboard
**make sure tissue cubes are small
enough to remove after
experiment!!!**
Go back to your table, follow lab
notebook protocol for each
experiment

POST LAB
OK, then what causes the bubbles?
Why did some substances bubble more than
others?