Question
Question: How can we increase enzyme activity?...
How can we increase enzyme activity?
Solution
Enzymes are biological catalysts which catalyze the breaking down of biomolecules in the body to provide energy and facilitate several other essential pathways. Increase in enzyme activity is directly related to the rate of biochemical reaction. Temperature, concentration and pH are the accountable factors to affect the enzyme activity.
Complete answer:
Enzymes are biological catalysts which catalyze several biochemical processes in our body. The four factors which accounts for altering the enzyme activity are:
Temperature: Increase in temperature leads to increase in enzyme activity. It is because the kinetic energy of particles increases with increase in temperature and hence more number of molecules crosses the activation energy barrier.
Enzyme and substrate concentration: Increase in enzyme and substrate concentration lead to increase in enzyme activity in accordance to Le chatelier’s principle.
pH: Every enzyme has its own pHoptimum range in which enzymes perform well (activity is high). Therefore, the biochemical reaction should perform under this optimum pHrange in order to increase the rate of reaction.
Overall, we can say that increase in temperature, substrate concentration and enzyme concentration increases the enzyme activity. In addition, the biochemical reaction should be performed under optimum pHrange of the enzyme.
Note:
It is important to note that temperature, substrate concentration, enzyme concentration and optimum pH plays an important role in altering the enzyme activity. Increase in temperature, substrate concentration and enzyme concentration increases the enzyme activity. Moreover, performing the reaction outside the optimum pHrange of enzymes leads to decrease in enzyme activity.