Question

Giving examples, explain why changing the pH to extreme values can have significant effects on catalytic function of enzymes  [4 points]. What can you use to minimize effects of changing pH on enzymatic reactions? [ 1 point]

Answer 1

Enzymes are mostly proteins that are made up of amino acids. These amino acids have various side chains, many of which can be protonated or deprotonated, depending on the pH of its environment. When the pH changes, the state of protonation/deprotonation of the amino acids also vary from their native state. Since the amino acids have both structural and catalytic role in the enzymes, pH changes cause the structure of the enzyme to get altered from its native fully functional structure and also the catalytic role gets altered mostly due the change in the side chains of active site.

To minimize the effects of changing pH of enzymatic reactions, the solution of the enzyme must be made in buffers such that the optimum pH required by the enzyme falls withing the buffering range of the buffer solution. In this way, changes in pH can be counter-balanced by the buffer's activity.

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