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Enzymes and pH

pH is a measure of H+ concentration. The higher the concentration of H+ the lower the pH values (acids)

A hydrogen ion has a (+) charge so will be attracted to negatively charged molecules or parts of molecules. As like charges repel, positive molecules or parts of molecules will repel hydrogen ions.

Large numbers of hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds are responsible for holding the tertiary structure of an enzyme protein in place. This ensures that the active site is also held in the right place. These bonds are due to the attraction between oppositely charged groups on the amino acids that make up the enzyme protein.

Because of their charge, hydrogen ions can interfere with the hydrogen and ionic bonds in the molecule holding the tertiary structure in place. This means increasing or decreasing the concentration of hydrogen ions can alter the shape of the tertiary structure and therefore the shape of the active site. This can also aler the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction.

The induced-fit hypothesis suggests that an important part of catalysis in the active site relies on charged groups on the R-groups of the amino acids that make up the active site. Increasing the concentration of hydrogen bonds will alter the charges around the active site, as more hydrogen ions are attracted towards any negatively charged groups in the active site.

Optimum pH
At the optimum pH, the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution gives the tertiary structure of the enzyme the best overall shape. The shape holds the active site in the shape that best fits the substrate (the shape that is complementary to the shape of the substrate)

Enzymes have a narrow pH range, changes to pH that alter the concentration of hydrogen ions result in a fall in the reaction rate because the shape of the enzyme is disrupted so the shape of the active site is changed. Minor changes do not denature enzymes. The bonds disrupted by the pH change can re-form if the pH returns to optimum (denatures at extreme changes)

Optimum pH can be measured by using an enzyme-controlled reaction at different pH values using buffer solutions (resists changes in pH by maintaining a constant level of hydrogen ions in the solution).

pH and location

Pepsin is found the stomach and works at a low pH (roughly 2 due to the acidic conditions and HCl)

Partly digested food leaving the stomach moves into the small intestine, intestinal secretions neutralize the food, so it can be digested further. The protein-digesting enzyme trypsin works in the small intestine and has a pH of around 7.

Why does both increasing and decreasing the pH away from optimum results in a reduction in the rate of reaction?

Changing the pH means altering the amount of hydrogen ions in the solution. The tertiary structure is held by an electrostatic force of attraction between oppositely charged ions, this means changes to the concentration of hydrogen ions will affect the tertiary structure and therefore the shape of the active site.

The are many hydrogen bonds, individually they are weak but collectively they are strong.

Bonds derived from charge differences hold the tertiary structure of each enzyme. The optimum tertiary structure is achieved with the hydrogen ion concentration and the positive charges in the solution. This is the optimum pH for an enzyme.

A small change in pH will have a large change in the concentration of hydrogen ions. This affects the enzymes’ tertiary structure and the shape of the active site.

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