ENZYMES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Define the term catalyst.
Define enzymes.
Describe why enzymes are important in all living organisms.
Explain enzyme action.
Explain the effect of changes in temperature and pH on enzyme
activity.
 WHAT ARE ENZYMES?
(DEFINITION & FUNCTION)
Enzymes are proteins that function as a biological catalyst.
A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction but isn’t changed by the reaction.
 ENZYMES CONT…
Each enzyme/catalyst can catalyze only a specific substance and the enzyme/catalyst remains
unchanged.
Enzymes can also be used more than once.
Enzymes are two types; they can either break large molecules into smaller simpler ones, or bond
smaller ones to make large molecules.
EXAMPLE OF FOOD WE TAKE IN – HOW
CELLS UTILIZE IT
Catabolic (breakers) enzymes are used in the digestive system
to break down large insoluble molecules into simpler soluble ones
to be used by the body.
Anabolic (makers) enzymes are present in plants to be used in
photosynthesis, the opposite of respiration, in photosynthesis,
oxygen and water are combined together to form carbon
dioxide and sugars.
HOW DO ENZYMES WORK?
(THEIR ACTION)
Enzymes have a structure that is called active site. Only one substance can fit into
the active site to be digested, and it is the only substrate that this particular enzyme
works with.
Key & Lock Mechanism

The shapes of the active site and the substrate

are complementary – they fit together.
Metathinking – self regulation:
Reflect on your understanding up until this point.
Summarize your learning in 3 points, under the heading: “Self-reflection –
Summary”.
What do you need to recap?
FACTORS AFFECTING
ENZYMES’ ACTIVITY:
1. Temperature
2. pH

Each enzyme has a specific temperature and pH at which their activity is OPTIMAL
(maximum).
They’re referred to as Optimum Temp, and Optimum pH.
1. Predict how the graph would look for each enzyme as pH
and temp increase. (Use the graph paper given to you)
2. Justify (give reason) for your prediction.
 Enzyme Activity vs
Enzyme Activity vs pH
Temp
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON
ENZYMES’ ACTIVITY:
Each enzyme has an optimum temperature, this is the temperature at which the enzyme
is most active, below this temperature the activity of the enzyme decreases until it becomes
inactive at low temperatures, above this optimum temperature the enzyme becomes
denatured and can no longer work.
At low temperatures the enzyme and the substrate have low kinetic energy – they move
very slowly and collide weakly.
As the temperature increases, the enzyme and substrate gain more kinetic energy and
move faster colliding more.
When the enzyme reaches it’s optimum temperature, it is in its most active mood.
If the temperature is higher than optimum, the enzyme become denatured – the shape of
their active site changes as a result of high temperature, thus the substrate cannot fit into the
active site.
TEMP. CONT…
Each enzyme has its own optimum temperature, enzymes in humans have
optimum temperatures of around 40 degrees. Plants have enzymes with optimum
temperature of about 25 degrees.
EFFECT OF PH:
As in temperature, enzymes have an optimum pH. The pH is a scale  measuring the
acidity or alkalinity of a substance or solution. The scale runs from 1 to 14. pH 7 is
neutral, below that it is acidic and above that it is alkaline.
Each enzyme has an optimum pH, if this pH changes, the shape of the active site
of the enzyme is changed, thus the substrate will not be able to fit in it, and the
enzyme becomes useless.
PH CONT…
Metathinking – self regulation:
Reflect on your understanding up until this point.
Summarize your learning in 3 points, under the heading: “Self-reflection –
Summary”.
What do you need to recap?
KAHOOT!
https://create.kahoot.it/details/85591cef-7d78-4a3a-80cb-427e4517dd06
ENZYMES VIDEOS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHCyUCtfeVI&t=376s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoDEjeRZ0xE