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Biology AS CIE

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  1. 1-cell-structure
    10 主题
  2. 2-biological-molecules
    19 主题
  3. 3-enzymes
    13 主题
  4. 4-cell-membranes-and-transport
    16 主题
  5. 5-the-mitotic-cell-cycle
    8 主题
  6. 6-nucleic-acids-and-protein-synthesis
    9 主题
  7. 7-transport-in-plants
    11 主题
  8. 8-transport-in-mammals
    16 主题
  9. 9-gas-exchange
    6 主题
  10. 10-infectious-diseases
    6 主题
  11. 11-immunity
    10 主题
课 3, 主题 10
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3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes AS measuring-enzyme-activity

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Exam code:9700

Measuring enzyme activity

  • The progress of enzyme-catalysed reactions can be investigated by:

    • Measuring the rate of formation of a product using catalase

    • Measuring the rate of disappearance of a substrate using amylase

Investigating catalase activity

  • In this investigation, the rate of product formation is used to measure the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction:

    • Hydrogen peroxide is a common but toxic by-product of metabolism

    • This means it must be broken down quickly

    • Catalase is an enzyme found in the cells of most organisms that breaks hydrogen peroxide down into water and oxygen

    • Hydrogen peroxide and catalase are combined and the volume of oxygen generated is measured in a set time

    • The rate of reaction can then be calculated

Diagram of a conical flask with potato cubes and hydrogen peroxide, connected to a tube collecting oxygen in a water-filled measuring cylinder.
Experimental set-up for investigating the rate of formation of a product using catalase

Investigating amylase activity

  • In this investigation, the rate of substrate disappearance is used to compare rates of reaction under different conditions:

    • Amylase is a digestive enzyme that hydrolyses starch into maltose and glucose

    • Amylase functions best at pH 7 and 37oC (all enzymes operate best under specific optimal conditions)

    • Amylase and starch are combined and this reaction mixture is then tested for starch at regular time intervals

    • This can be done by taking samples from the reaction mixture at each time interval and adding each sample to some iodine solution (starch forms a blue-black colour with this solution)

    • In this way, the time taken for starch to be broken down can be measured

    • The investigation can be repeated under a variety of conditions (e.g. by altering pH or temperature) and the reaction rates can then be compared

Diagram of a starch test using amylase. A pipette transfers the solution to a spotting tile with iodine, which indicates starch presence at intervals.
Experimental set-up for investigating the rate of disappearance of a substrate using amylase

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Examiners look for awareness of control variables such as temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, and substrate concentration.

If these are not kept the same, you can’t be sure that changes in rate are due only to the factor you’re testing.

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