Enzymes

Learning Objectives
Skill level 1: All students must be able to:
Proficiency 1. Define the term “catalyst”
(to achieve an exam 2. Define the term “enzyme”
grade C)

Skill level 2: Many students should be able to:

Competency 1. Describe enzyme action with reference to the
active site, substrate, enzyme-substrate
complex and product.
2. Describe and explain the specificity of
enzymes in terms of the complementary shape
and fit of the active site of an enzyme with the
substrate
Skill level 3: Some students may be able to:
Mastery 1. Investigate, describe and explain the effect of
(to achieve an exam changes in temperature and pH on enzyme
grade A) activity in terms of kinetic energy, shape and
fit, frequency of effective collisions and
denaturation.
Keywords

catalyst catalyse protein

catalase amylase lactase

pectinase trypsin pepsin

substrate active site product

temperature optimum denature

pH protease enzyme
 Catalysts
• A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction
but is not itself changed by the reaction.
 Hydrogen peroxide breaks down to water and
oxygen

hydrogen peroxide manganese oxide

water + oxygen
2H2O2 2H2O + O2

The escaping oxygen causes the foaming

Enzymes act as biological catalysts

• They occur inside cells or are secreted by the cells.

• Catalase is the enzyme that catalyses the break down
of hydrogen peroxide.

Catalase
Enzymes are proteins

• Proteins are long molecules that are folded into a

specific shape.

catalase amylase pepsin trypsin

The part of an enzyme where the reaction occurs is
known as the active site

Active site:

Enzyme
The molecule the enzyme acts on is known as the
substrate molecule
Substrate molecules

Active site:
The site on the
enzyme where
the reaction
occurs

Enzyme
The molecule the enzyme produces is known as the
product molecule
Product molecules

Active site:
The site on the
enzyme where
the reaction
occurs

Enzyme
The enzyme can be re-used
 Each enzyme is specific to one substrate
molecule or type of molecule
• The lock and key hypothesis states that the active site specifically
matches the shape of the substrate molecule

enzyme

active site
Lock and Key Theory Induced fit
theory

• Explain the lock and key theory.

• Explain the induced fit theory in your own words.
Rates of enzyme reactions can be measured by recording the
time for a substrate to disappear or a product appears

Controlled variables:

•Volume and concentration of substrate (milk)

•Volume and concentration of enzyme (trypsin)
•pH (controlled by buffers)
•Temperature

trypsin
protein polypeptides
white clear
Enzymes are used in biological washing powders

• Proteases break down the coloured, insoluble proteins that

cause stains to smaller, colourless soluble polypeptides.

• Can wash at lower temperatures

Enzymes are used in the food industry

• Pectinase break down substances in

apple cell walls and enable greater
juice extraction.

 Lactase breaks down lactose in milk

into glucose and galactose.
This makes milk drinkable for lactose
intolerant people.
Enzymes are used in seed germination

starch

amylase
secreted
embryo plant ab
so
rbe
d maltose
 Factors affecting enzyme action
- Temperature

• Describe this graph.

(2)

• Explain this graph.

(2)
 Factors affecting enzyme action
– pH
• Each enzyme works best at a particular pH. This is known as the optimum
pH.
• Extremes of pH will cause the active site to denature.
 Learning Objectives
Skill level 1: All students must be able to:
Proficiency 1. Define the term “catalyst”
(to achieve an exam 2. Define the term “enzyme”
grade C)

Skill level 2: Many students should be able to:

Competency 1. Describe enzyme action with reference to
the active site, substrate, enzyme-
substrate complex and product.
2. Describe and explain the specificity of
enzymes in terms of the complementary
shape and fit of the active site of an
enzyme with the substrate

Skill level 3: Some students may be able to:

Mastery 1. Investigate, describe and explain the
(to achieve an exam effect of changes in temperature and pH
grade A) on enzyme activity in terms of kinetic
energy, shape and fit, frequency of
effective collisions and denaturation.