Asked by Josie
14. A scientist treats a solution of enzymes with a strong acid, lowering the pH from 7 to 2. Afterward, the enzyme no longer converts substrates into products. What is the most likely explanation for this?
• The acid acted as a competitive inhibitor.
The acid provided too much activation energy for the reaction to continue.
The low pH changed the folding of the protein, destroying the active site.
C
The enzyme consumed all the substrate before the acid was added.
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
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Correct answer: The low pH changed the folding of the protein, destroying the active site.
Strong acid protonates side chains (e.g., Asp, Glu, His, Lys), disrupting hydrogen bonds and ionic interactions that maintain tertiary/quaternary structure. That denatures the enzyme and alters or destroys the active site so it can no longer bind/convert substrate. The other choices are unlikely: the acid isn’t acting as a competitive inhibitor, it doesn’t provide “activation energy,” and the enzyme wouldn’t have consumed all substrate before the acid was added.
Strong acid protonates side chains (e.g., Asp, Glu, His, Lys), disrupting hydrogen bonds and ionic interactions that maintain tertiary/quaternary structure. That denatures the enzyme and alters or destroys the active site so it can no longer bind/convert substrate. The other choices are unlikely: the acid isn’t acting as a competitive inhibitor, it doesn’t provide “activation energy,” and the enzyme wouldn’t have consumed all substrate before the acid was added.
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