1. What group of enzymes does each enzyme in the experiment belong to?

What is its specific function?

Amylase - This enzyme is a stomach related compound emitted by the pancreas

and some salivary organs. It is a hydrolase, which is liable for the underlying cycle of

absorption of dietary starch. This enzyme functions to digest starch into smaller

molecules, which eventually yield maltose.

Catalase - This enzyme is an oxidoreductase that is mainly found in the mammalian

cell’s peroxisomes. Catalase is a tetrameric enzyme, which comprises four identical

subunits of 60 kDa arranged tetrahedrally. This enzyme utilizes hydrogen peroxide

as its substrate, and it is the one responsible for neutralization by means of hydrogen

peroxide decomposition.

Pepsin – is one of the five components which makes up our gastric juices in the

stomach. Pepsin is a hydrolase and also the principal enzyme for protein digestion.

They are released by chief cells present in the digestive tract’s gastric lining, in an

inactive form called pepsinogen. Another component of the gastric juice,

Hydrochloric acid, has a significant role in creating the pH suitable for pepsin activity.

More importantly this enzyme functions to break down proteins into amino acids or

smaller peptides for the reason that they can now be easily absorbed in the small

intestine.

2. Explain the mechanism of enzyme action on its substrate presented in the

experiment.
Amylase - catalyzes the process of hydrolysis or the splitting of compound by

addition of water molecule and lower down the energy required to break down starch

as the substrate into lesser carbohydrate molecule such as maltose in a process

such as the starch will bind into the active site of the amylase and the chemical

reaction occur which the water breaks the glycosidic bond between the

polysaccharide chain, resulting into smaller molecules as a product.

Catalase - catalyzes the dismutation of two moles of hydrogen peroxide into one

mole of oxygen and one mole of water. When the enzyme catalase comes into

contact with its substrate, hydrogen peroxide, it starts breaking it down into water

and oxygen. The formation of bubbles indicates the action of catalase enzyme which

produces 2H2O and O2.

Pepsin - catalyzes the process of hydrolysis in the peptide bond by adding HCl as it

gives the optimum ph and by warming the solution for it to function. The substrate or

the protein entered the active site of the enzyme and starts the hydrolysis to produce

a polypeptide fragment leaving the active site, which is the smaller peptides as it
shown in the experiment that the liquid surrounding the denature egg white is cloudy

and is showing a sign of amino acid.

3. Explains the specificity of enzymes on its substrates.

Amylase - As part of hydrolases, amylase contributed a big part in digestion which

can determine and hydrolyze the α-1-4 glycosidic linkage in starch and glycogen,

and because of this, it is classified as both bond and optical specificity. Moreover, it

is also considered as optical because it is not just specific to the substrate but also to

its optical configuration that is known as the highest specificity shown by any class of

enzymes.

Catalase - This is an oxidoreductase enzyme that is initially a key in the industry that

is responsible for the neutralization through the process of conversion and

decomposition from hydrogen peroxide to water and molecular oxygen. As regards

with its function, it is classified as substrate or also known as the absolute. Since it is

characterized as an extreme specificity, it is also restrictive because it is specific and

applicable to a single substrate and one reaction only.

Pepsin - The pepsin is a digestive enzyme that is classified in the group specificity. It

involves similar compounds not only specific in structure but also specific to
surrounding chemical groups. This type of specificity also includes the catalyzation of

reaction on a variety of molecules on a function group.