Professional Documents
Culture Documents
For example, pH can have an effect of the state of ionization of acidic or basic amino acids. Acidic amino
acids have carboxyl functional groups in their side chains. Basic amino acids have amine functional
groups in their side chains. If the state of ionization of amino acids in a protein is altered then the ionic
bonds that help to determine the 3-D shape of the protein can be altered. This can lead to altered
protein recognition or an enzyme might become inactive.
Changes in pH may not only affect the shape of an enzyme but it may also change the shape or charge
properties of the substrate so that either the substrate connot bind to the active site or it cannot
undergo catalysis.
In geneal enzyme have a pH optimum. However the optimum is not the same for each enzyme.
Changes in pH also alter an enzyme’s shape. Different enzymes work best at different pH values. The
optimum pH for an enzyme depends on where it normally works. For example, intestinal enzymes have
an optimum pH of about 7.5. Enzymes in the stomach have an optimum pH of about 2.
Changes in pH also alter an enzyme’s shape. Different enzymes work best at different pH values. The
optimum pH for an enzyme depends on where it normally works. For example, intestinal enzymes have
an optimum pH of about 7.5. Enzymes in the stomach have an optimum pH of about 2.
pH measures the Acidity and Basicity of a solution. It is a measure of the Hydrogen Ion (H+)
concentration, and therefore a good indicator of the Hydroxide Ion (OH-) concentration. It ranges from
pH1 to pH14. Lower pH values mean higher H+ concentrations and lower OH- concentrations.
Acid solutions have pH values below 7, and Basic solutions (alkalis are bases) have pH values above 7.
Deionised water is pH7, which is termed 'neutral'.
H+ and OH- Ions are charged and therefore interfere with Hydrogen and Ionic bonds that hold together
an enzyme, since they will be attracted or repelled by the charges created by the bonds. This
interference causes a change in shape of the enzyme, and importantly, its Active Site.
Different enzymes have different Optimum pH values. This is the pH value at which the bonds within
them are influenced by H+ and OH- Ions in such a way that the shape of their Active Site is the most
Complementary to the shape of their Substrate. At the Optimum pH, the rate of reaction is at an
optimum.
Any change in pH above or below the Optimum will quickly cause a decrease in the rate of reaction,
since more of the enzyme molecules will have Active Sites whose shapes are not (or at least are less)
Complementary to the shape of their Substrate.
http://alevelnotes.com/content_images/i72_enzyme_ph_graph.gif
Small changes in pH above or below the Optimum do not cause a permanent change to the enzyme,
since the bonds can be reformed. However, extreme changes in pH can cause enzymes to Denature and
permanently lose their function.
Enzymes in different locations have different Optimum pH values since their environmental conditions
may be different. For example, the enzyme Pepsin functions best at around pH2 and is found in the
stomach, which contains Hydrochloric Acid (pH2).
Effect of pH on Enzymes
For every enzyme, there is an optimum pH value, at which the specific enzyme functions most actively.
Any change in this pH significantly affects the enzyme activity and/or the rate of reaction. To know more
about the relation between pH and enzymes, and/or the effect of pH on enzymes, go through this write-
up.
Enzymes are proteinaceous catalysts, which speed up the rate of a biochemical reaction. They reduce the
activation energy that is essential for starting any type of chemical reaction. With a low energy
requirement for activation, the reaction takes place faster. The overall performance of an enzyme
depends on various factors, such as temperature, pH, cofactors, activators, and inhibitors. You might
have a fair idea regarding the effect of pH on enzymes. But why and how does pH and temperature affect
enzymes?
The rate of a chemical reaction and/or the enzyme activity is greatly influenced by the structure of the
enzyme. Or in other words, a change in the structure of the enzyme affects the rate of reaction. When
pH of a particular medium changes, it leads to an alteration in the shape of the enzyme. Not only
enzymes, the pH level may also affect the charge and shape of the substrate. Within a narrow pH range,
changes in the structural shapes of the enzymes and substrates may be reversible. But for a significant
change in pH levels, the enzyme and the substrate may undergo denaturation. In such cases, they cannot
identify each other. Consequently, there will be no reaction. This is why pH is a determining factor of
enzyme activity.
How Does pH Affect Enzymes?
Each and every enzyme is characterized by an optimum pH. At this specific pH level, a particular enzyme
catalyzes the reaction at the fastest rate than at any other pH level. For example, the enzyme pepsin (a
protease enzyme) is most active at an acidic pH, whereas the enzyme trypsin (another protease enzyme)
performs best at a slightly alkaline pH. Thus, the optimum pH of an enzyme is different from that of
another enzyme.
When we study pH, it is clearly defined as the measurement for the acidic or alkaline nature of a
solution. To be more precise, pH indicates the concentration of dissolved hydrogen ions (H+) in the
particular solution. An increase or decrease in the pH changes the ion concentration in the solution.
These ions alter the structure of the enzymes and at times the substrate, either due to formation of
additional bonds or breakage of already existing bonds. Ultimately, the chemical makeup of the enzyme
and substrate are changed. Also, the active site of the enzyme is changed, after which the substrate can
no longer identify the enzyme. For more information on enzymes, you can refer to enzyme substrate
complex.
Consider a case when the reaction is adjusted at a pH level different from the optimum value. Over here,
the rate of reaction or the activity of enzymes will not be the same as the previous one. At times, you
will notice that there is no reaction at all. This occurs when there are changes in the structure of the
active site and the substrate. Hence, for the chemical reaction to take place, you need to adjust the pH of
the solution in such a way that it is suitable for both, the enzyme and the substrate. This way, the effect
of pH on enzyme activity can be studied practically.Any change of pH below or above the optimum pH
nature
1) digestion is the break down of large complex and insoluble food into small simple soluble molecules
for the body to absorb it. starch is a complex, the body have to find a way to break down starch, so the
body produces salivary amylase in the mouth to begin the break down of starch into maltose. amylase
works in the pH of alkaline.
2) hydrochloric acid is produced in the stomach and one of its function is to change the acidic pH to
acidic. salivary amylase can only work in the pH of alkaline so when hydrochloric acid change the pH to
acidic the the effect of the salivary amylase will decrease until it stops. but that doesn't say that, that's
where the break down of starch ends, as the food goes down into the duodenum the pH will change to
alkaline and the pancreas will produce pancreatic amylase to continue the break down of starch into
amylase. i hope that this bit of information will be of use to you. :)
Pretty much right. Amylase hydrolyses the ether bonds (ie breaks them by adding a water to them)
between the sugars in starch, which is a polymer of sugars all joined together.
The HCl will denature (unfold) the amylase (as noted at the bottom of the link you provided), disrupting
the shape of its active site, therefore it won't work anymore. Enzymes are just chains of amino acids
joined together that curl and fold up into a very specific shape that gives them activity. Various things
can cause unfolding, like heat, chemicals (called chaotropes) and large changes in pH from the optimum
that the enzyme is not designed to handle.
Different enzymes work best at different pH values. The pH varies in the gut.
The mouth
Procedure:
6. Placed the tubes in water that was approximately 37 C, and they where there for about 15 mins.
Results:
Discussion:
The starch got hydrolyzed to maltose, and maltose cant react with Iodine. Therefore we didn`t get the
blue color. In the second tube, B, there was a slight color change. According to the groups conclusion the
enzyme should not have managed to dissolve the starch, but it did. The HCl should have created an
environment that has a lover pH value and the enzyme wouldn't do its job. The C and D tubes are control
tubes, these where treated like the other tubes, just without the amylase enzyme. Both tubes got a blue
color that proves the fact that the enzyme is really doing the job, nothing else.
Conclusion:
Here we see that the Amylase enzyme turns the starch into maltose and helps our body to digest it. On
the other hand, the enzymes only work within a certain pH value. If it`s any lower it doesn't work.