Subject Pharm 204 – Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Parasitology

Title Enzyme Chemistry

Activity No
Introduction Enzymes are biological molecules (typically proteins) that significantly speed
up the chemical reactions in the human body. They bind to molecules and alter them
in specific ways. They are essential for respiration, digesting food, muscle and nerve
function, among thousands of other roles.
Enzymes are vital for life and serve a wide range of important functions in the
body. Such as aiding in digestion and metabolism. Some enzymes help break large
molecules into smaller pieces that are more easily absorbed by the body. Other
enzymes help bind two molecules together to produce a new molecule. Enzymes are
highly selective catalyst, meaning that each enzyme only speeds up a specific
reaction.

Like all catalysts, enzymes increase the reaction rate by lowering its activation
energy. Some enzymes can make their conversion of substrate to product occur many
millions of times faster. Enzymes differ from most other catalysts by being molecules:
inhibitors are molecules that decrease enzyme activity, and activators are molecules
that increase activity.

Many therapeutic drugs and poisons are enzymes inhibitors. An enzyme’s

activity decreases markedly outside its optimal temperature and pH, and many
enzymes are (permanently) denaturated when exposed to excessive heat, losing their
structure and catalytic properties.

Objective(s) At the end of the activity, the student should be able to:
1. To demonstrate the breakdown of protein by enzymes present in fresh fruit
juices.
2. To identify which enzyme exhibits most of the activities.

Materials and gelatine

Equipment distilled water
marble
100ml graduated cylinder
Cheesecloth
Papaya
pineapple
kiwi
Procedure/ Instruction

1. Prepare the materials needed.

2. Prepare the gelatin desert according to the package directions.
3. Fill 100ml graduated cylinders or a clear container to 90ml level.
4. Place in a refrigerator until the gel is formed.
5. Extract each fruits with the use of a cheese cloth.
6. Using a graduated cylinder. Measure extract to 10ml.
7. Place the measured fruit extract on the gelatin.
8. Label the clear bottles/cylinders.
9. Place a big marble on the Gelatin and observe over several hours.

Data and
Observation

Fruits were extracted.

Fruit extract were place on the prepared gelatin and

marble was placed after. And leave for a day.

As a result, the marble

submerge halfway in the
gelatin which indicates the
breakdown of protein by
enzymes present in fresh fruit
juices.
Conclusion
At the end of the activity, I was able to understand how enzymes speed up the
chemical reactions in our body and very helpful to us for respiration, digesting
food, muscle and nerve function, among thousands of other roles. In this activity
we were able to demonstrate the breakdown of protein by enzymes present in
fresh fruit juices.