Lab - Bio 201
Name: ________________________
Enzymes & Experimental
Design
OBJECTIVES:
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To continue to practice to apply hypothesis testing.
To continue to practice experimental design.
To gain a better understanding of enzymes and some conditions (temperature, pH, and enzyme and
substrate concentration) that affect enzyme activity and the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction.
To learn the concepts behind the workings of the spectrophotometer.
To learn to use the spectrophotometer.
To understand these terms: enzyme, enzyme activity, active site, substrate, enzyme-substrate complex,
product, denature, variable, control.
Now that we have spent some time considering the steps scientists go through in “doing science”, we’ll try our
hands at formulating our own hypotheses, and designing experiments to test them. Unlike other labs you have
done, this will not be a “cookbook” exercise. You will be writing your own protocol. To do this effectively, you
must read this lab thoroughly, and complete the prelab assignments, before coming to class!
The subject of our inquiry will be enzymes and the various factors that influence their activity. Without
enzymes, most biochemical reactions would take place at a rate far too slow to keep pace with the metabolic
needs and other life functions of organisms. Enzymes are catalysts that speed up chemical reactions but are
not themselves consumed or changed by the reactions.
The cell's biological catalysts are proteins. These enzymes have a very complex three-dimensional structure
consisting of one or more polypeptide chains folded to form an active site-a special area into which the
substrate (material to be acted on by the enzyme) will fit.
Changes in temperature, alterations in pH, the addition of certain ions or molecules, and the presence of
inhibitors all may affect the structure of an enzyme's active site and thus the ability of the enzyme to catalyze
the reaction (“enzyme activity”), and hence the rate of the reaction in which it participates. The rate of an
enzymatic reaction can also be affected by the relative concentrations of enzyme and substrate in the reaction
mixture.
During this exercise you will study the activity of the enzyme catecholase contained in some fruits and
vegetables. Peeled potatoes and bruised fruits turn brown when exposed to air because catecholase facilitates a
reaction between catechol and oxygen. In the presence of oxygen, the compound catechol is oxidized by the
removal of two hydrogen atoms. Catechol is thus converted to benzoquinone, and oxygen is reduced by the
addition of two hydrogen atoms to form water. Benzoquinone molecules then link together to form long,
branched chains. These chains are the structural backbones of the red and brown melanoid pigments that
cause darkening. Keep in mind that whenever you use potato juice in the following experiments, you are using
an enzyme preparation (in which the enzyme is catecholase).
MATERIALS (per group)
12-18 test tubes
250 ml beaker
12 pieces of Parafilm
1 test tube rack
2 pipets
MATERIALS (to share)
pH 7 phosphate buffer
catechol, with pipets
potato extract, with pipets
HCl and NaOH solutions
50 °C water bath
ice
spectrophotometer
thermometers
extra pipets
wax pencils
Kimwipes ®
pH Indicator Paper
PREPARATION
Before lab, read over this lab and material in the book on enzymes. Generate a list of variables, or factors that
might affect the rate at which an enzyme can catalyze the conversion of substrate to product. Think about how
you might test the effects of some of these variables. In the space provided on the sheet at the end of the lab,
select one of the variables you identified, and outline the protocol you would use to test its effects. (You may
want to coordinate with your lab group in selecting a variable, but each student needs to write out their own
protocol before coming to lab.) Think carefully about how many conditions you might want to test in your
experiment, and what type of controls you might need to use to validate your results. Be sure to consult the
sample protocol below as you plan your experiment.
GENERAL PROCEDURES
1.
Work in groups (the size of the groups will be determined by the size of the class and by the amount of
equipment available). Your instructor will consult with each group to approve their protocol before you
begin your experiment!
SAMPLE PROTOCOL- USE THIS PROTOCOL AS A GUIDE IN WRITING YOUR OWN!
1. Identify the variable you wish to explore, and establish the conditions under which you will test the
activity level of our enzyme, catecholase. For instance, if you choose to explore the effects of
temperature, you’ll need to decide on the exact temperatures you wish to test, and set-up the
appropriate ice baths or warm water baths. You should test your enzyme under three conditions. For
example, your group may choose to test your enzyme at 4 °C, 24 °C, and 50 °C. Be aware that you may
need to adapt your experiment to fit the time and supplies available in the lab.
2. Label three tubes with a wax pencil so that you can distinguish one treatment from the next. Prepare
the tubes, each containing 3 ml of pH 7 phosphate buffer, and 10 drops of potato juice (our enzyme!),
and 10 drops of water. These will be the blanks for the three conditions you decide to test.
3. Fill three additional test tubes with 3 ml of pH 7 phosphate buffer, and 10 drops of potato juice . Label
these tubes such that you can distinguish them from your blanks. These are your “experimental” tubes.
4. Label a final tube and fill it with 40 drops of catechol (our substrate). This will be your stock solution.
When you are ready to begin your experiment, you can add the substrate, catechol, directly from this
tube.
5.
With your experimental conditions established, add 10 drops of catechol to each of your experimental
tubes. (Water has been used to replace this in your blanks.) Cover each tube with Parafilm and invert it
several times to mix the contents.
6. Allow the reaction to proceed for 6 minutes. In the meantime, prepare to take a reading on the Spectronic
20 (“Spec 20” for short). You should be sure to turn on your Spec 20 before your experiment as it will need
10-15 minutes to warm up! Be sure the wavelength is set to 420. Adjust the Spectronic 20 to total
absorbance, or zero transmission using the zeroing knob (on/off) on the left. Turn it until the needle aligns
on top of the  line, just to the left of “2” on the absorbance scale. This is called “zeroing” the Spec. (See
Figure 1.)
7. After 6 minutes, use the blank for your first treatment to
adjust the machine to 0% absorbance using the blanking
knob. This is called “blanking” the Spec 20. Wipe
condensation off the tube before reading. Then read the
absorbance of your experimental tube and record your
reading in Table 1.
Figure 1: Baush & Lomb, Spectronic 20
8. Repeat for the other 2 experimental tubes. Remember to use
appropriate blanks at each condition you test.
zeroing knob (L)
blanking Knob (R)
Sample chamber above zeroing knob
CLEAN-UP
1.
When done, please empty all tubes in the sink, rinse them out, place them in your test tube rack, and put
the rack on the table at the front. Throw away your pipets, pieces of Parafilm, and any papers. Wipe your
desk off.
DATA ANALYSIS
1.
Graph the data in Table 1 (use graph paper). Be sure to label the x- and y-axes appropriately. Think
carefully about what type of graph might be most appropriate for the data you have generated.
2. Fill in the rest of Table 2.
 Based on the data, did you support or reject your hypothesis?
 Explain your reasoning for your conclusion: why did you choose support or reject?.
3. Identify the optimal condition for the enzyme activity.
4. Be prepared to present your results to the class.
Lab 4- Enzyme Activity: To Hand In
Name: ______________________
 This and the following page.
 Graphs of data attached to these two pages.
 Answers to Questions
Pre-Lab
1. Identify three factors you expect to affect the activity of the enzyme, catechcolase. For each of the factors
you identify, describe why you expect the enzyme to be affected. Note that these are all possible hypotheses
you might test in your experiment!
2. Select one of the factors you have identified above and, in the space below, write out the protocol for an
experiment you might conduct to test your hypothesis. Use the example provided in the lab handout as a
template for your protocol. Be precise as these are the directions you will be following in lab!
Data Analysis
Table 1. Effect of ______________ on Enzyme Activity
Absorbance (420 nm)
Minutes
Condition 1:
__________
Condition 2:
___________
Condition 3:
___________
6
Table 2
Hypothesis:
Prediction:
Interpretation (circle one):
support
reject
Reasoning for choosing "support" or "reject" (if supported, why; if rejected, why):
What is the optimal condition for this enzyme reaction? Why did you choose it as the optimal condition?
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONSAnswer these questions on a separate page.
1. What would pH do to enzyme activity, and why?
2. If an enzyme were isolated from an organism, such as a clam, that lived in seawater that averages
14 °C, what would you predict would be the optimal temperature for that enzyme, and why?
3. Define enzyme denaturation in terms of protein structure.
4. What would a graph of the relationship between substrate concentration and rate of reaction look like,
and why?
5. How could you calculate the rate of reaction for your enzyme?
6. How would you expect increasing enzyme concentration to affect the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed
reaction in the presence of unlimited substrate?