Question

1. using figure 2(a) and 1(b): what are two conditions that affect the function?

a. provide an explanation for why human enzymes function best at 40°c but enzymes from hot springs bacterium works best at 70°c.
b. what do you think happens to the human enzyme when the temperature increases to 45°c?
in figure 2(b) you can see two different enzymes, why do you think they work best at different ph levels?

Explanation:

1. Enzyme function is highly dependent on environmental factors like temperature and pH. Adaptation to the organism's environment shapes an enzyme's optimal conditions.
2. Temperature affects enzyme structure through thermal energy and intermolecular forces.
3. pH affects enzyme function by altering the protonation state of amino acid residues in the active site.

Answer:

a.

1. Human enzymes function best at 40°C because they are adapted to the normal body - temperature range of humans. The molecular structure of human enzymes is optimized to maintain its active - site shape and function within this temperature range, which allows for efficient binding of substrates and catalysis of reactions. Enzymes from hot - springs bacteria work best at 70°C as they are adapted to the high - temperature environment of hot springs. Their proteins have evolved to be more thermally stable, with stronger intermolecular bonds (such as more disulfide bridges) that prevent denaturation at high temperatures.
2. When the temperature increases to 45°C for human enzymes, the increased thermal energy starts to disrupt the weak intermolecular forces (such as hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces) that maintain the enzyme's three - dimensional structure. This can lead to a partial or complete loss of the enzyme's active - site shape, a process called denaturation. As a result, the enzyme's ability to bind substrates and catalyze reactions decreases, and the rate of the enzyme - catalyzed reaction drops.

b. Different enzymes work best at different pH levels because the amino acid residues in their active sites have specific chemical properties. For example, pepsin works best in an acidic environment (low pH) in the stomach. The acidic conditions protonate certain amino acid residues in pepsin's active site, making it more effective at breaking down proteins. Trypsin, on the other hand, works best in a more basic environment (higher pH) in the small intestine. The basic conditions deprotonate certain amino acid residues in trypsin's active site, which is necessary for its optimal function in protein digestion.