APU International School Biology Lab Report

Mr. Bill Pham | Fall 2016

14 October 2016

EFFECT OF PH AND SUBSTRATE

CONCENTRATION ON ENZYME
ACTIVITY
Harry: lengocbaochan@gmail.com
Honor Code: On my honor, I have neither received nor given any unauthorized
aid on this assignment.
Lab partner:
Noah: blackdragon1760@gmail.com
Titan: lamct12345@gmail.com
Kha: baokha123@gmail.com

A 3D model of pepsin, an enzyme that digests food proteins into peptides.

Credit: lculig / Shutterstock.com
Source : http://www.livescience.com/45145-how-do-enzymes-work.html

EFFECT OF PH ON ENZYME ACTIVITY

Introduction:
1. Lactase is an enzyme which has an important role in your digestive system as
other enzymes do. It breaks down lactose, a disaccharide that is commonly
known as a sugar in milk and other milk products. The lactose will be split into 2
monosaccharides glucose and galactose, which can be used by the body.
Calcium, which is contained in milk, is very important to our bodies. People who
get enough milk are likely to have stronger bones than the others do. However,
there are some people who suffer from lactose intolerance, an enzyme related
condition in which their bodies are not able to digest milk well. These people,
known as lactose intolerants, can not produce enough lactase to break down the
substrate lactose, so when they eat lactose, it cant be broken down sufficiently
and properly cause discomfort, cramp, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Data:
Amount of
Substrate
0.5 g
1.0 g
2.0 g
4.0 g
8.0 g

pH3
19
39
82
96
96

pH5
39
81
168
198
198

pH7
72
145
300
350
350

pH9
45
91
189
223
223

pH11
24
49
103
121
121

Discussion:
The relationship between substrate concentration and the initial reaction
rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction is linear. If the substrate
concentration decreases, the initial reaction rate will decrease. Also, as the
concentration increases, the initial reaction rate increases.
The maximum initial reaction rate for the lactase enzyme at pH 7 is
350 x 106 molecules of product formed per minute.
With low lactose concentration, there will not be enough substrate for the
maximum initial reaction rate to be reached. The substrate will run out and
there will not be enough lactose to react on.
The data indicate that the optimum pH level for this lactase-catalyzed
reaction is pH 7. With pH 7, the maximum initial reaction rate can be
reached.
As we know, the temperature is very important for a reaction. If the
temperature is too hot, some reaction can not function normally, maybe it
wont work. With a very high temperature, the enzyme will be denatured
and will not react. Therefore, temperature-regulating mechanisms in
organisms are very important because they can keep our bodies at the right
temperature for reactions so that we will not denature our proteins in our
bodies.
People with lactose intolerance are able to take products such as Lactaid
that contain the lactase enzyme with their meals. These products can be
taken in pill form. The pill form of the enzyme would have to travel
through the person's stomach. Therefore, the producers of this product
need to be concerned about the acidity of the lactase enzyme in the pill.
They would have to make sure that the lactase enzyme wouldn't denature
and lose function in the acidity of the stomach.