Lactase Enzyme Activity Lab with Data Analysis

Define rate of reaction and explain how it relates to the lactase chemical reaction.

The amount of product formed in a period of time or the amount of substrate used in a period of time. Lactase can have a high reaction rate if lactose, the substrate, is always present

What is the chemical reaction that lactase catalyzes?

The chemical reaction that lactase catalyzes is the conversion of lactose into glucose and galactose.

Define activation energy and explain how it relates to the lactase chemical reaction.

The energy required to start a reaction. Lactase uses energy to convert lactose into glucose and galactose.

Propose an appropriate control treatment for the experiment, and describe how the control treatment would increase the validity of the results. (Temperature)

An appropriate control treatment for the experiment would be to keep the pH, initial glucose amount, initial enzyme concentration, salinity, and pressure constant. This would increase the validity of the results because it would ensure that the only environmental change is the temperature, so nothing else could effect the enzyme's productivity except for the temperature.

Propose an appropriate control treatment for the experiment, and describe how the control treatment would increase the validity of the results. (pH)

An appropriate control would be to keep the temperature, initial glucose amount, initial enzyme concentration, salinity, and pressure constant. This would increase the results' validity because it would ensure that the pH is the only thing effecting the enzyme's rate of reaction.

Define enzyme and explain how it relates to the lactase chemical reaction.

The largest and most diverse group of proteins produced by living organisms. The rate at which lactase converts lactose into glucose and galactose can be effected by initial glucose amount, pH, and temperature.

Define substrate and explain how it relates to the lactase chemical reaction.

The material or substance that attaches to an enzyme. Lactose is the substrate that binds to the enzyme lactase.

Predict how the milk digestion is affected in individuals that lack functional copies of the gene encoding lactase. Justify your response.

The milk digestion in those individuals would happen much slower because lactase is not present to catalyze the reaction. The milk would still get digested, but it would take a long time because nothing would be present to catalyze the reaction of converting lactose into glucose and galactose.

Explain why your results of the optimal temperature (40C) of the lactose enzyme makes sense for the human enzyme? Explain the results in terms of the structure and function of proteins.

The optimal temperature makes sense for human enzymes because human body temperature is just below $)C. At the optimal temperature or the average human body temperature the structure of a protein is not denatured. Also, a protein's function is not inhibited at these temperatures because the temperatures allow them to have an optimal structure in order to perform optimally.

Define active site and explain how it relates to the lactase chemical reaction.

The region of the enzyme where a substrate binds and where the chemical reaction occurs. Lactose, the substrate, binds to lactase's active site, so lactase can convert lactose into glucose and galactose.

Explain how the structure of an enzyme relates to how well the function catalyzes chemical reactions.

The structure of an enzyme is important because it allows for the correct substrate to enter the active site. If the enzyme is inhibited it cannot catalyze reactions because the substrate will not bind. Since enzymes can change shape slightly to fit the substrate (induced fit), they are able to catalyze reactions faster because they fit the substrate very well.

Explain why your results of optimal pH (7) of the lactase enzyme make sense for the human enzyme? Explain the results in terms of structure and function of proteins.

This pH makes sense for a human enzyme because humans are mostly composed of water which has a pH of 7. At pH 7, proteins are not denatured and are able to have an optimal structure, so their function is also optimal because they are able to perform their job effectively.

Why would having the enzyme lactase as an adult be an evolutionary advantage?

This would be an evolutionary advantage because the adult would be able to eat dairy and not get sick from it so, they have a higher chance of survival, which also means they would be able to produce more offspring that would also have the lactase enzyme.