Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity, chapter 6, 9th class bio, notes

 

Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity

                    Enzymes are sensitive to their environment, and changes in certain factors can significantly influence their activity.

Temperature:

·         Optimal Temperature: 

                        Each enzyme has an optimal temperature at which it works most efficiently.

·         Increased Rate: 

                        Within the optimal temperature range, increasing temperature generally increases enzyme activity.

·         Denaturation: 

                        Temperatures significantly above the optimum can denature the enzyme, causing it to lose its shape and function.

Substrate Concentration:

·         Increased Rate: 

                        Increasing substrate concentration generally increases the rate of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.

·         Saturation: 

                        At high substrate concentrations, all available enzyme active sites become saturated, and further increases in substrate do not significantly increase the reaction rate.

pH:

·         Optimal pH:

                        Each enzyme has an optimal pH at which it works best.

·         Denaturation: 

                        Deviations from the optimal pH can affect enzyme activity, potentially leading to denaturation.

·         Enzyme Specificity: 

                        Different enzymes have different optimal pH values, reflecting their specific functions.

Key Points:

·         Environmental Sensitivity: 

                        Enzymes are sensitive to changes in their environment, including temperature, pH, and substrate concentration.

·         Optimal Conditions: 

                        Enzymes function optimally within specific ranges of temperature and pH.

·         Denaturation: 

                        Extreme conditions can denature enzymes, rendering them inactive.

·         Substrate Concentration: 

                        The rate of enzyme activity increases with substrate concentration up to a certain point.

·         pH Influence: 

                        Changes in pH can affect the ionization of amino acids in the enzyme's active site, altering its activity.

Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing enzyme-catalyzed reactions in various biological and industrial processes.