Biology Experiment Help!

Question

i need to do an experiment for school and i was hoping to do something with like enzyme inhibitors. the thing is i’ve been researching what enzyme/substrate/inhibitor i can use but i either keep coming across way too complex experiments or catalase/hydrogen peroxide/copper sulfate (which is just too common and will result in me gaining less marks).

what other substances can i possibly use to try to make the experiment a tad bit more unique?

Answer 1

It's great that you're looking for a unique enzyme inhibition experiment! Here are a few alternative enzymes, substrates, and inhibitors you could consider using to make your experiment stand out:

Enzyme:

1. Amylase: This enzyme breaks down starch into sugars. You can explore how different inhibitors affect amylase's ability to break down starch.
2. Lipase: Lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol. You could investigate how inhibitors affect the breakdown of fats.
3. Pepsin: Pepsin is an enzyme involved in digesting proteins in the stomach. You could look into inhibitors that affect protein digestion.
4. Catalase Alternative: If you want to work with catalase but make it unique, consider using a different substrate like urea hydrogen peroxide or a different inhibitor.

Substrate:

1. Starch: Instead of using hydrogen peroxide, you could explore enzyme inhibition using amylase and starch as a substrate.
2. Lactose: If you're working with lactase, you could use lactose as a substrate and investigate how different compounds inhibit lactase's activity.

Inhibitor:

1. Natural Extracts: Look into using natural compounds as inhibitors, such as tea extracts, coffee extracts, or extracts from various spices or herbs.
2. Metal Ions: Explore the effect of different metal ions as inhibitors. Some metal ions can inhibit enzyme activity by binding to active sites.
3. Synthetic Compounds: Investigate the effect of common synthetic compounds as inhibitors, such as specific medications or household chemicals.

Remember that no matter which enzyme, substrate, and inhibitor you choose, the key to a successful experiment lies in careful planning, well-designed controls, accurate measurements, and clear presentation of your results and conclusions. Your unique approach to the experiment and your thorough analysis of the results will make your project stand out. Good luck with your experiment!

Answer 2

Hi Sarah, 

Sounds like a tough class! You're right though, the kinetics of enzyme inhibition can get really complex and sometimes require specialized tools, equipment, and reagents for those experiments. That’s actually part of what pharmaceutical companies do to develop new medicines since most drugs work by altering the function of proteins and about 30% of those proteins are enzymes. I love this topic and could go on and on about it, but in terms of the project for your class, there are many easy-to-do enzyme experiments, but if you’re looking for one with more pizzazz, one experiment that stands out is related to bioluminescence. 

Bioluminescence happens when animals like fireflies are able to produce their own light. They do that with a chemical reaction that is catalyzed by enzymes, in the case of fireflies, that enzyme is luciferase, and the substrate for this enzyme is called luciferin. This reaction also requires oxygen and ATP (energy source), so the firefly regulates the amount and timing of the oxygen that goes into its body and thus can control its organic “light bulb” in this manner.

There are some science supply companies that sell dried fireflies or Sea Fireflies, and you can crush them in a mortar and pestle and then add water and they will glow. There are also companies that will sell the luciferase and luciferin as separate components and are cruelty free, but can be quite expensive. You can test different reaction conditions to see what affects the luminescence. Factors that can affect enzyme activity are pH (adding lemon juice or vinegar), temperature, and concentration of enzyme or substrate (if they are already separated). There are luciferase inhibitors, but they are usually chemicals that are expensive and possibly not safe (I haven’t researched them).

IMPORTANT: With all of this and any science experiments, please be sure to use and wear all the necessary safety equipment like lab coat, gloves, eye protection, face shields, and any other relevant personal protective equipment and conduct them in a well-ventilated area. Also, please read and heed any and all warnings labels on any components used in your experiments.

I hope that helps, and good luck with your project whatever you choose to do for your project! 

Best regards, 

Reuben