Enzyme Lab

The Effect of the Changes in the Environment to the Functionality of the Enzymes

Introduction
a. Background
In our everyday lives, enzymes are used in our bodies, and in nature around us, to speed up the chemical reactions happening constantly, which happens by lowering the amount of activation energy needed to start various reactions. The way this works is by attaching the particular substrate to the active site of the enzyme, where it will start to aid the chemical reaction. Then, the allosteric site involves itself in forming the final 3D shape. For each specific reaction is a specific enzyme that helps speed up the reaction, and the reason for the variations of the enzymes is their unique protein structures. However, this means that once the structure of the enzyme is denatured and changed, the functions will most probably modify as well. In nature, this happens when the temperature and concentrations of different components are altered. In this lab experiment, we will be doing an in-depth research of exactly what happens to the enzymes, when it happens, and why it denatures the way it does.

b. Hypothesis

Materials and Methods
a. Materials
50ml beaker of fresh potato catalase
Reaction chamber
Ring stand and clamp
10ml graduated cylinder
100ml graduated cylinder
3% hydrogen peroxide
Pan (water bath)
Pipette
Hot plate
Ice
Thermometer
Boiled Catalase
Buffers of varying pH: 4,7,10
Distilled water
Balance
NaCl (salt)

b. Methods
Refer to handout

c. Statistical Methods

Results
a. Dependent Variable
b. Independent Variable
c. Cofounding Variable
d. Sample Size
e. Controls
f. Organized Data (Tables)

Effect of Diluted H2O2

3%
1.5%
0.3%
30 sec. intervals
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 1
Trial 2
30 sec
0
5
2
2
0
1
60 sec
0
2
0
2
0
2
90 sec
2
2
0
0
0
3
120 sec
0
1
1
3
0
1
150 sec
2
1
0
3
0
2
180 sec
3
0
0
2
0
0
210 sec
0
0
1
0
0
0
240 sec
2
1
0
0
0
0
270 sec
2
1
0
0
2
0
300 sec
2
1
1
0
0
1

Effect of NaCl Concentration

10% salt
2% salt
0% salt
30 sec. intervals
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 1
Trial 2
30 sec
4
0
3
0
2
0
60 sec
0
0
1
0
1
0
90 sec
0
0
0
0
0
1
120 sec
9
0
2
2
1
2
150 sec
0
0
0
1
0
1
180 sec
0
1
0
1
0
0
210 sec
0
0
0
2
0
0
240 sec
0
1
0
1
0
1
270 sec
0
1
0
0
1
0
300 sec
0
1
1
0
1
2

Effect of Temperature

3%
1.5%
0.3%
30 sec. intervals
Trial 1
Trial 1
Trial 1
30 sec
0
7
0
60 sec
0
3
0
90 sec
0
2
0
120 sec
0
1
0
150 sec
0
1
0
180 sec
0
2
0
210 sec
0
0
0
240 sec
0
1
0
270 sec
0
0
0
300 sec
0
4
0

Effect of Enzyme Concentration
Time
80% Enzyme
50% Enzyme
20% Enzyme
0:30
1
0
0
1:00
0
0
0
1:30
1
0
0
2:00
0
0
0
2:30
1
3
0
3:00
0
0
1
3:30
2
0
0
4:00
2
0
0
4:30
3
0
0
5:00
4
0
0

g. Data Analysis

Conclusions

Work Cited

Cited: