Topic 2.5:  Enzymes

Essential Idea:  Enzymes control the metabolism of the cell.

At SHS, Topic 2.5 is taught in the following class unit(s):

• Enzymes and Metabolism (unit 32)

Statements & Objectives:

2.5.U1  Enzymes have an active site to which specific substrates bind.

• State the relationship between enzyme substrate and enzyme active site.
• Explain the relationship between enzyme structure and enzyme specificity, including the role of the active site.​

2.5.U2  Enzyme catalysis involves molecular motion and the collision of substrates with the active site.

• Outline the three stages of enzyme activity.
• Explain the role of random collisions in the binding of the substrate with the enzyme active site.
• Describe the induced fit model of enzyme action.​

2.5.U3  Temperature, pH and substrate concentration affect the rate of activity of enzymes.

• Explain how temperature affects the rate of enzyme activity.
• Draw a graph of depicting the effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme activity.
• Explain how pH affects the rate of enzyme activity.
• Draw a graph of depicting the effect of pH on the rate of enzyme activity.
• Identify the optimum temperature or pH for enzyme activity on a graph.
• Explain how substrate concentration affects the rate of enzyme activity.
• Draw a graph of depicting the effect of substrate concentration on the rate of enzyme activity.​

2.5.U4  Enzymes are denatured.

• State the effect of denaturation on enzyme structure and function.

2.5.U5  Immobilized enzymes are widely used in industry.

• List industries that use commercially useful enzymes.
• Explain how and why industrial enzymes are often immobilized.

2.5.A1  Methods of production of lactose-free milk and its advantages.

• State the source of the lactase enzyme used in food processing.
• State the reaction catalyzed by lactase.
• Outline four reasons for using lactase in food processing.​

2.5.S1  Design of experiments to test the effect of temperature, pH, and substrate concentration on the activity of enzymes.

• Identify and manipulated, responding and controlled variables in descriptions of experiments testing the activity of enzymes.

2.5.S2  Experimental investigation of a factor affecting enzyme activity. (Practical 3)

• Describe three techniques for measuring the activity of an example enzyme.

2.5.NOS  Experimental design-accurate, quantitative measurements in enzyme experiments require replicates to ensure reliability.

• Define quantitative and qualitative.
• Determine measurement uncertainty of a measurement tool.
• Explain the need for repeated measurements (multiple trials) in experimental design.
• Explain the need to controlled variables in experimental design.

In the News:

• Scientists see inner workings of enzyme telomerase, which plays key roles in aging, cancer (2018-06-06)
• Sticking sugar to protein (2018-02-08)
• 3D enzyme model provides new tool for anti-inflammatory drug development (2015-01-26)
• Anatomy of a microscopic wood chipper (2015-12-10)
• ​​Spotting the invisible: Mapping structures, functions of a transient enzyme state (2017-05-31)