Enzymes

PRE-LAB QUESTIONS
1. How could you test to see if an enzyme was completely saturated during an experiment?
To test if an enzyme is completely saturated increase the amount of substrate. If the
reaction rate does not change this means the enzyme was completely saturated.

2. List three conditions that would alter the activity of an enzyme. Be specific with your
explanation. –high or low salt concentrations can influence the behavior of the charged
amino acids that compose the enzyme’s protein structure. PH can influence enzyme
efficiency or the ability of an enzyme to perform. Temperature affects the rate of
chemical reactions. High temperatures can damage the enzyme.

3. Take a look around your house and identify household products that work by means of
an enzyme. Name the products and indicate how you know they work with an enzyme.
Contact lens cleaner (protease), dish soap (amylase), cheese (rennin), meat (papain),
and starch products (amylase). They will work with an enzyme because they all contain
amylase.

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 Enzymes

EXPERIMENT 1: ENZYMES IN FOOD

Data Tables

Table 1: Substance vs. Starch Presence

Resulting Color
Presence of Presence of
Substance (where sample was
Starch? Amylase?
applied)
Negative Control: water Clear/white No No
Starch Control Dark purple Yes Yes
Saliva Yellow/brown Yes Yes
Purple with some
Fruit/Vegetable 1: Apple Yes Yes
brown
Fruit/Vegetable 2: Potato Purple Yes Yes

Post-Lab Questions

1. What were your controls for this experiment? What did they demonstrate? Why was

saliva included in this experiment? The positive control for starch is the starch solution.

This solution demonstrated that IKI will turn purple in the presence of starch. The

negative control in this experiment is water because there is no starch in water. Saliva is

included in this experiment as a positive control for amylase because saliva is known to

contain amylase. Therefore, the amylase should break down the starch, causing the IKI

to turn yellow/brown upon exposure.

4. What is the function of amylase? What does amylase do to starch? Amylase is an

enzyme present in the body to help facilitate digestion. Amylase breaks down starches
into glucose molecules.

5. Which of the foods that you tested contained amylase? Which did not? What
experimental evidence supports your claim? All the foods I tested contained amylase
because the color of the paper towel showed that starch was present which means
amylase broke down the starch into glucose. Also there are a few yellow/brown spots
which is a sign that amylase is present

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Enzymes

2. Saliva does not contain amylase until babies are two months old. How could this affect

an infant’s digestive requirements? Amylase is needed for digestion of starches and

complex carbohydrates, this makes the food for babies to not be digested and possibly

pass right through the babies system and into a diaper. It can also lead to gas and

constipation for the baby.

3. There is another digestive enzyme (other than salivary amylase) that is secreted by the

salivary glands. Research to determine what this enzyme is called. What substrate does

it act on? Where in the body does it become activated and why? The salivary glands

offer many different digestive enzymes. One example is lysozyme. Also known as

muramidase, this enzyme provides a general antiseptic to kill some of the bacterial

which enters the mouth with food. Specifically, it has been found to provide a defense

against Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus Streptococcus. It is also found in other

body fluids such as tears or milk, and is considered to be part of the innate immune

system because it has been used in foods and pharmaceuticals for over three decades

as it naturally inhibits the growth of many spoilage organisms, increases healthy shelf life

and ensures food safety. It also boosts the immunity system.

4. Digestive enzymes in the gut include proteases, which digest proteins. Why don’t these

enzymes digest the stomach and small intestine, which are partially composed of

protein? Protease is only released when there is food present in the stomach. If there

isn't any food there won’t be any protease. Also the stomach has a lining that is made of

mucous. This protects the stomach and small intestines by basically repelling most

fluids. However since over time it is worn away it is a self-replenishing system to keep

you from harm.

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Enzymes

5. Experiment 2: Effect of Temperature on Enzyme Activity

Result Tables

Table 2: Balloon Circumference vs. Temperature

Balloon Balloon Balloon

Temperature
Tube Circumference Circumference Circumference
(C)
(Uninflated; cm) (1 minute; cm) (3 minutes; cm)
1 – Room
Temperature

2 – Hot

3 – Cold

Post-Lab Questions

1. What reaction is being catalyzed in this experiment?

2. What is the enzyme in this experiment? What is the substrate?

3. What is the independent variable in this experiment? What is the dependent variable?

4. How does the temperature affect enzyme function? Use evidence from your data to

support your answer.

5. Draw a graph of balloon diameter vs. temperature. What is the correlation?

6. Is there a negative control in this experiment? If yes, identify the control. If no, suggest

how you could revise the experiment to include a negative control.

7. In general, how would an increase in substrate alter enzyme activity? Draw a graph to

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Enzymes

illustrate this relationship.

8. Design an experiment to determine the optimal temperature for enzyme function,

complete with controls. Where would you find the enzymes for this experiment? What

substrate would you use?

© eScience Labs, 2018