Lab Introduction 1

Enzyme Lab Report Introduction

Biology 213-215

February 26, 2020

 Lab Introduction 2

Enzyme Lab Report Introduction

“1)General information of enzymes( what are enzymes and importance of enzymes,it's functions,

how it works, the structure but not any chemical formula, actually how enzymes are made of )

2)The inhibitors and factors affecting enzyme activity

3) Amylase: an example of enzymes

4) Types of amylase and how they function - You need to give an example of amylase”

An enzyme, as defined by the National Institute of Health, is a substance produced by

living organisms which acts as a catalyst to speed up a specific chemical reaction (Cooper,

2000). Most biological reactions are catalyzed by enzymes so chemical reactions that would not

normally happen under the conditions that are compatible with life happen over a million times

faster. Living organisms contain thousands of different kinds of enzymes which determine which

of the many possible chemical reactions actually take place within the cell (Cooper, 2000).

Without these enzymes, biological processes would not be possible. Enzymes are vital for life

and aid in many functions throughout the body such as metabolism and digestion (Castro, 2014).

Enzymes work by holding together molecules in a way that allowed them to react more

readily with each other. Enzymes have a quaternary protein structure and are made up of a

combination of proteins which are themselves made of amino acids. The active site of the

enzyme gets its properties by which amino acids are on the active site. Each of these sites has a

very specific shape, size, and behavior that are made to bind to specific molecules to catalyze a

specific reaction.
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Some factors that may affect enzyme activity are temperature, pH, or any enzyme

inhibitors. Because the active sites on enzymes are so carefully constructed and tailored to

specific reactions, any small changes in the protein’s structure can denature the enzyme. For

example, a very high temperature environment can result in the structure of the proteins in an

enzyme changing. A change in pH can also affect the acidity or basicity of active sites and make

it hard for the substrates to bind. Extreme pH can also cause enzymes to denature (Purves, 2003).

Inhibitors may also stop an enzyme from doing its job. Enzyme inhibitors are molecules that

interact in some way with the enzyme to prevent it from working in the normal manner. Poison,

for example is a type of enzyme inhibitor that targets specific enzymes. Many drugs also work by

inhibiting enzymes in bacteria, viruses, or cancerous cells (Purves, 2003).

Amylase is an example of an enzyme found in the digestive system of the body. It is an

enzyme that catalysis the breaking down of starch into more simple sugars. It starts off digestion

in the body as it is one of the components of saliva. It is also found in the pancreas. Some

examples of amylase include β-Amylase and glucoamylase. β-Amylase is synthesized by

bacteria, fungi, and plants. One example of its purpose is to ripen fruit by turning starch into

maltose, resulting in a sweeter flavor. It does this by “Working from the non-reducing end, β-

amylase catalyzes the hydrolysis of the second α-1,4 glycosidic bond, cleaving off two glucose

units (maltose) at a time” (Amylase, 2020)


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References

Amylase, Beta. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2020, from http://www.worthington-

biochem.com/BA/default.html

Castro, J. (2014, April 26). How Do Enzymes Work? Retrieved February 26, 2020, from

https://www.livescience.com/45145-how-do-enzymes-work.html

Cooper GM. The Cell: A Molecular Approach. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer

Associates; 2000. The Central Role of Enzymes as Biological Catalysts. Available from: https://

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9921/

Purves, W. K., Sadava, D. E., Orians, G. H., and Heller, H.C. (2003). Enzymes are

affected by their environment. In Life: The science of biology (7th ed., pp. 122-123 ).

Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.