B4 Enzymes

Cambridge IGCSE
Coordinated Science (Biology)

B4.01

Biological Catalysts
 Learning
Objectives

Keywords: (other keywords are in your CB page 42-43)

Metabolic reactions: the biochemical reactions that transform food into energy in our
body and its cells.
Think-Pair-Share (p. 42 of CB)
1. Give at least 6 examples of enzymes. Which large molecules do they break down?

Enzyme Molecules it digested

amylase From starch digested maltose

2. Discuss how enzymes got its name.

3. Explain how enzymes work.

Think-Pair-Share (p. 42 of CB)
1. Give at least 6 examples of enzymes. Which large molecules do they break down?

Enzyme Molecules it digested

amylase From starch digested maltose
protease proteins digested into amino acid

2. Discuss how enzymes got its name.

3. Explain how enzymes work.

 Starter

Structure Enzymes are proteins.

What can we conclude about its structure and components? (3)

 Enzymes are made of C, H, O and N

 Enzymes can be digested into amino-acids
 Proteases digest enzymes into amino-acids
 Enzymes fold
Structure
themselves to show
complicated Some (haemoglobin)
All must fold to the
structures even fold to the
tertiary structure
quaternary structure

Which structure
allows lots of space
inside for other
molecules to fit in?
Function
These diagrams show 2 different enzymes. Based on
them, answer these questions:

1. X represents the enzyme. What do you think Y and

Z are?
(Hint: end of a chemical reaction)
Y and Z are reactants and products of a reaction.
2. State if these enzymes can swap the molecules
they interact with. Give your reasons.
They can’t. Enzymes have specific shape that match
with specific substrate.
 Check your understanding!

1. What kind of molecule are enzymes? Carbohydrates,

lipids (fats), or proteins?

2. What do enzymes do?

Enzymes are
biological
catalysts:
They perform
reactions in Without them
organisms digesting a burger
would take up to 3
weeks!
‘Lock and key’ hypothesis

Products leave since

they changed their
shape and no longer
fit in the active site
 Progress check
1. The way enzymes work can be explained using the lock and key model.
Explain briefly this idea.

2. Enzymes, after the reaction, can’t perform anymore.

True or false? Give your reason.

3. Name the region in the enzyme where substrate fits in.

 Progress check
1. The way enzymes work can be explained 1. Enzymes are specific to their substrate. They
using the lock and key model. Explain briefly will not react to different substrate.
this idea.

2. Enzymes, after the reaction, can’t perform 2. False. They are unaffected. Once they
anymore. release products they can perform the
True or false? Give your reason. reaction again with new substrate.

3. Name the region in the enzyme where 3. Active site.

substrate fits in.
 Factors: temperature and pH

Enzymes need to Enzymes in humans

collide with substrate work at an optimum T
to make the substrate- of 37 degrees.
enzyme complex.
What happens if T
How can we increase rises above 37
collisions of enzymes in degrees?
a solution?
Bonds are broken in
By heating up the the active site and the
solution. enzyme is denatured.
 Practical: lipase and temperature

Phenolphthalein
Will milk
stay pink?

Lipase + fats  fatty acids + glycerol

 Why could the
substrate not react in
the active site of the
enzyme?
Not only high
temperature can
denature enzymes.

Abnormal pH values also

denature enzymes:

 Most enzymes work

at pH 6-8
 Some exceptions
include pepsin
(pH 2-3)
 In summary…
• Every enzyme has an optimal range of temperature and pH
where it works best

• If the environment is too different from this, the enzyme will

denature and not fit with its substrate anymore!
Based on the following graph about temperature on enzyme activity, answer these
questions: 1. Is this enzyme likely to be found in
humans? Give your reason.
No, as its optimum temperature is different to 37 °
(33 °).
2. Why is activity in X increasing?
Enzyme activity

The enzyme is gaining kinetic energy. More collisions

X Y happen. The activity increases, then.
3. What is happening in Y?
 Temperature is so high that bonds in the active
site break.
33° 37 °  The active site changes its shape.
Temperature  The enzyme performs worse.
 The enzyme denatures.
Based on the following graph about pH on enzyme activity, answer these questions:
1. State the optimum pH for this enzyme.
Around pH 4.

2. Why does the enzyme denature as pH

gets too acidic or alkaline?
Enzyme activity

 Because too acidic or too alkaline pH changes the

charges of the active site.
 The active site changes its shape.
 The substrate no longer fits inside.
 The enzyme stops working.
7
pH
 Enzymes are biological catalysts:
 They speed up chemical reactions
 They are found inside living beings

1. Substrate matches / fits in the active site of

the enzyme
2. The enzyme starts the reaction
3. Substrate changes into product
4. Product has a different shape so it no longer
matches /fits in the active site and is released
 THANK YOU

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