Enzymes

Question 1

What is an enzyme?

Answer 1

Enzymes are proteins that speed up a reaction without being used up in the reaction.

Question 2

What is a catalyst?

Answer 2

A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a reaction, without itself being used up in the reaction.

Question 3

What is metabolism?

Answer 3

It is all the chemical reactions in an organism

Question 4

Give an example of a catabolic and anabolic enzyme?

Answer 4

For catabolic, amylase or respiration, for anabolic, DNA polymerase or DNA replication.

Question 5

What is a denatured enzyme?

Answer 5

A denatured enzyme has lost its shape and can no longer function.

Question 6

What is an immobilised enzyme?

Answer 6

They are enzymes that are attached to each other or to an inert material.

Question 7

What is bioprocessing?

Answer 7

Bioprocessing is the use of enzyme-controlled reactions to a produce a product.

Question 8

What is a bioreactor?

Answer 8

A bioreactor is a vessel or container in which living cells or their products are used to make a product.

Question 9

What are the benefits of immobilised enzymes?

Answer 9

1. They may be reused
2. They are often more stable than the natural enzyme
3. They are easy to separate from the product.

Question 10

Immobilised enzymes are used to:

Answer 10

1. Produce fructose from glucose
2. Convert penicillin to different forms
3. Produce sweet-tasting sugars from lactose.

Question 11

How do enzymes work?

Answer 11

1. Active site changes shape to allow a perfect fit
2. Products form
3. Active site is unaltered and the enzyme changes to its original shape.
4. Enzymes can be reused.

Question 12

What is meant by the term “specificity” in relation to enzyme activity?

Answer 12

An enzyme can act on only one substrate.

Question 13

How do you investigate the effect of pH on enzyme activity?

Answer 13

1. Mix blended celery { catalase}, hydrogen peroxide, pH buffer 9 and washing up liquid
2. Note the volume of froth formed after two minutes at different temperatures.