GCSE Biology (Eduqas)

Topic Summaries

Human health and enzymes

Denaturing enzymes

  • Enzymes work at optimum conditions, and any movement away from these conditions lowers the enzyme activity and effectiveness
Body Part Enzyme Optimum pH Optimum temp.
Mouth Amylase, maltase Alkaline 37 °C
Stomach Protease Acidic 37 °C
Small intestine Lipase, protease, amylase, maltase Alkaline 37 °C
  • Enzymes are denatured by extremes of pH and temperature as the shape of the active site permanently changes so the substrate no longer fits.
  • As temperature increases, enzymes and their substrate have more kinetic energy, so they will more frequently collide and enzyme activity increases.
  • If temperature increases above the optimum temperature for an enzyme, it will denature because the bonds holding it together will break.

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