Amine Khadir                Biology

Inhibition of an Enzyme

Aim:

The aim of the experiment is to see which concentration of an inhibitor will work best on an enzyme.

Theory:

Inhibitors are molecules that bind to enzymes and block their activity. Many plants and animals naturally contain inhibitors. An example of a cellular enzyme inhibitor would be proteins that specifically bind to and inhibit an enzyme target. Polyphenol oxidase also known as tyrosinase is an enzyme present in apples and potatoes. Tyrosinase catalyses the production of melanin and other pigments from tyrosine by oxidation, like in the browning of pieces of sliced apples or potatoes.

The chemical reaction is:

                                   Tyrosinase

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Tyrosine + oxygen   Melanin + Water

When an inhibitor, such as ethanol, is added the browning of the sliced apples or potatoes can be stopped. The oxidation process can also be stopped by other factors. These are the dependant variables.

Dependent variables:

  • Temperature
  • Acids and Bases (pH-level)
  • Amount of oxygen
  • Preservative chemicals
  • Time

The dependent variables should be kept constant (be controlled) or else they will affect the outcome. If the sliced apples get heated they will denature the enzyme and this will have an affect on our result. Therefore, the temperature must be kept constant. This ...

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