BIO 213 George mason university enzyme lab report

BIO 213 George mason university enzyme lab report

Introduction: Chemical reactions are an essential component of all of life on Earth.

Enzymes, also known as protein catalysts, are important factors in reactions by

accelerating the rate of reactions over short periods of time. In order for an enzyme to

work, the activation energy must be lowered so the reaction can occur faster. In these

reactions, the substrates serve as the “keys” which fit into the active sites, also referred to

as the “locks.” Enzymes are specific for their substrates as they must fit into the active

site. This experiment will test the enzyme, amylase, which breaks down starch when

water is added. The purpose of this laboratory exercise is to measure starch depletion

over time while observing different environmental factors that influence the rate at which

an enzyme will catalyze, including the concentration, pH, and temperature. Because

extremes in high temperatures and pH can denature enzymes, it is hypothesized that if the

temperature is increased, then the rate of reaction for the enzyme will also increase.

Additionally, if put outside of their optimal pH range, then enzymes will function slower

or completely stop functioning. This experiment will be tested by using Lugol’s iodine,

which tests for the presence of the starch, and observing the change in color in addition to

altering the environmental factors and recording their absorbance.

Grahame, D., Bryksa, B. and Yada, R., 2015. Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity. ScienceDirect.

Stoddard, S. 2020. Cell Structure and Function Lab: Enzyme Activity . George Mason

University. https://vimeo.com/showcase/7410658?page=3

Wetherall, H. 2017. Introductory Cell Biology Laboratory Manual Second Edition [lab manual].

George Mason University.

●Material and Methods:

I. The Effect of Concentration on Rate of Reaction:

In order to measure the effect of concentration on the amylase, initially, the

spectrophotometer must be started to allow it to warm up. The wavelength must

be set at 540 nanometers. Next, three erlenmeyer flasks will be numbered. 30 mLs

of enzyme extract will be added to flask 1, and 20 mLs of water will be put into

flasks 2 and 3. A 10 mL pipette will be used to transfer 10 mL of enzyme extract