Chemical reactions are vital to living cells. Many chemical reactions take long periods of time to transpire. Enzymes serve as catalysts to speed up biochemical reactions in other substances. Each enzyme interacts with only one specific substrate (molecule) in an organism or a family of related molecules. Enzymes are not changed or used up by the reactions they catalyze, but their effectiveness can be influenced by environmental factors such as the pH level of an environment. All enzymes have an optimum pH level at which they function most effectively under a given set of circumstances. The number of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution determines its pH level. Solutions that have high H+ concentrations are more acidic and have a pH less than 7. Solutions that have low H+ concentrations are more basic and have a pH greater than 7 (Schramm, 2015). How does pH affect enzyme activity?
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This process, referred to as denaturation, causes proteins to unravel slightly and inhibits their ability to pair up with their specific substrates (Nelson 2012). Research by Spitzer (2009) showed that changes in pH could also alter the properties of substrates in ways that hinders their ability to bind to an active site or undergo
This process, referred to as denaturation, causes proteins to unravel slightly and inhibits their ability to pair up with their specific substrates (Nelson 2012). Research by Spitzer (2009) showed that changes in pH could also alter the properties of substrates in ways that hinders their ability to bind to an active site or undergo