During this simulation, write what you observe. Make sure to include the following as they are worth one point each.

Question

1. If amylase is attached to the amylase inhibitor, will it break down starch?

2. What happens to the enzyme/inhibitor complex when it touches starch?

3. How does the presence of the amylase inhibitor affect the rate of the entire reaction? (Faster or Slower)

4. What would happen if you add a couple of maltase molecules?

Now, adjust the temperature. What happens when you increase the temperature (1 point)? What happens if you decrease the temperature (1 point)? Do either of the enzymes become denatured with temperature? If so, at what temperatures (1 point)?

Answer 1

Observations During the Simulation:

1. If amylase is attached to the amylase inhibitor, it will not break down starch. The inhibitor blocks the active site of amylase, preventing it from interacting with the starch molecules, thus halting the hydrolysis process.

2. When the enzyme/inhibitor complex touches starch, there is no reaction that occurs. The starch substrate cannot be processed by amylase since it is still bound to the inhibitor; therefore, the complex remains inactive and does not break down the starch.

3. The presence of the amylase inhibitor affects the rate of the entire reaction by making it slower. Because the inhibitor prevents amylase from accessing starch, the catalytic activity of the enzyme is reduced, which leads to a decreased rate of starch breakdown.

4. If a couple of maltase molecules are added, they would not affect the breakdown of starch, as maltase specifically catalyzes the hydrolysis of maltose into glucose, not starch. Therefore, the addition of maltase does not change the reaction rate for starch breakdown since amylase is required for that reaction.

Adjusting the Temperature:

• When the temperature is increased, the reaction rate initially increases due to enhanced molecular motion. However, if the temperature becomes too high, amylase may become denatured, losing its functional shape and active site, which would halt its ability to process starch.

• When the temperature is decreased, the reaction rate slows down significantly. Lower temperatures result in reduced molecular motion, which leads to fewer collisions between the enzyme and substrate.

• Regarding denaturation, amylase typically begins to denature at temperatures above approximately 60°C (140°F). If the temperature exceeds this threshold, the enzyme can lose its structure and functionality, while at lower temperatures (e.g., below 20°C or 68°F), though it may slow down, generally the enzyme remains functional and does not denature.

In summary, increased temperature can initially speed up enzymatic reactions until a point of denaturation, while decreased temperature slows down reactions but does not typically lead to denaturation of the enzyme.