Question

If the pH of a protein is 1.6, which enzyme will digest it?
A. Trypsin
B. Pepsin
C. Amylase
D. Erepsin

Answer 1

Enzymes are substances that act as catalysts in living organisms and can adjust the speed of chemical reactions without changing themselves in the process. The biological processes which occur in all living organisms are chemical reactions, most of which are regulated by enzymes.

Complete answer: In chemistry, pH (meaning “power of hydrogen”) is the scale used to determine the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Acidic solutions (solutions with higher concentrations of H + ions) are considered to have lower pH values ​​than alkaline or basic solutions. All enzymes are affected by changes in pH. Enzymes work optimally at a certain pH. This pH value is called the optimal pH value. A pH above or below the optimal pH affects enzyme activity.
i. The optimal pH of trypsin is between 7.8 and 8.7.
ii. The optimal pH for pepsin is 1.5 to 1.6.
iii. The optimal pH of amylase is 6.7 to 7.
iv. Erepsin's optimal pH is around 8.
Pepsin is an endopeptidase which breaks down proteins into smaller peptides. It is produced in the main cells of the lining of the stomach and is one of the most important digestive enzymes in the digestive system of humans and many other animals, where it helps digest protein in food.
Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Note: Amylase is an enzyme which catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch to sugar. Amylase is found in the saliva of humans and some other mammals, where the chemical digestion process begins. Trypsin is an enzyme which helps us digest protein. In the small intestine, trypsin breaks down protein and continues the digestive process that starts in the stomach. These can also be called proteolytic enzymes or proteinase. Trypsin is produced by the pancreas in an inactive form called trypsinogen.