Liver Lab - Enzyme Function and Catalase

Liver Lab - Enzymes

• Objective: To understand enzyme function and disruption.
• Background: Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy. They are essential for many biological processes, including cellular respiration.
• Catalase: A specific enzyme found in liver that breaks down hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) into water (H₂O) and oxygen (O₂). This reaction occurs faster when catalase is present.
• Enzyme Function: Enzymes work by bringing reactants (substrates) close together, facilitating their interaction, and speeding up reactions.
• Liver Location: Liver is the location of catalase in the human body.
• Chemical Equation: The chemical equation for catalase-catalyzed reaction is: 2H₂O₂ → 2H₂O + O₂
• Enzyme-Substrate: An enzyme and substrate relationship is often described as a lock and key. The substrate fits into the active site of the enzyme.
• Control Situation: A control situation in an experiment is a baseline condition to compare results. Enzymes are often used in experiments to test different variables like temperature, pH, and concentration.
• Materials: Liver pieces, hydrogen peroxide, deionized water, ice bath, hot water bath, well plate, sharpie, tweezers, hydrochloric acid solution, hydroxide solution, pH test strips, 10mL graduated cylinder, and pipettes.

Procedures

• Part 1 (Control): Place liver in wells A1 and B1. Add hydrogen peroxide to A1, and water to B1. Observe and record reactions.
• Part 2 (Enzyme function): Transfer liver from A1 to C1. Add fresh hydrogen peroxide to C1. Observe and record reactions. Repeat with new liver and previous hydrogen peroxide solution in C2.
• Part 3 (Temperature): Add liver to A2, B2, C3. Add hot, cold, and room temperature hydrogen peroxide to each respective well. Record temperatures and observe reactions.
• Part 4 (pH): Add liver, water, and hydrogen peroxide to A3, B3, C4 in each respective well. Measure pH of solution and observe reactions. Add hydrochloric acid solution to B3 to see changes in pH and observe reactions.

Data Analysis

• Reaction Evidence: List evidence of a chemical reaction that occurred.
• Enzyme Action Graph Analysis: Explain how enzymes affect chemical reactions based on the graph provided.
• Enzyme Consumption: Determine if an enzyme is used up during a chemical reaction. Support this conclusion with the results from a given test tube.

Enzyme Lab Conclusion

• Realistic Catalase Amount: Explain why 1000 mL of catalase solution is impractical given the nature of enzyme function. Explain the optimal conditions for catalase for effective use.

Explore the fascinating world of enzymes with a focus on catalase found in the liver. Understand how enzymes act as biological catalysts to speed up chemical reactions and the significance of enzyme-substrate interactions. This quiz covers the basics of enzyme function, their roles in biological processes, and the specific reaction catalyzed by catalase.