ENZYMES -TEMPERATURE

=Temperature & Enzyme Activity= [image:http://i.imgur.com/wijEUP6.png?1] '''Low Temperatures''' At low temperatures enzymes are simply inactive. As temperature is increased the enzymes and substrate gain kinetic energy (move more quickly). This increases the frequency of collisions and the formation of enzyme-substrate complexes. Therefore as the temperature is increased the enzyme activity and the rate of reaction increases. '''Optimum Temperatures''' Every enzyme has an optimum temperature; the temperature at which the enzyme activity is greatest. This can be different from one enzyme to the next, but enzymes within the human body tend to have optimum temperatures around 37°C. '''High Temperatures''' Enzymes are a type of protein. Proteins are made out of a chain of amino acids that fold up into a very specific shape. Weak interactions between amino acids on different parts of the chain are what give the protein / enzyme its shape. If the temperature is increased too greatly, this will disrupt these weak bonds and cause the protein to denature (change shape) and the substrate won't fit into the active site. Once a protein has been denatured, it will not function again. However, some proteins have a higher optimum temperature (such as those found in microorganisms that live in geothermal pools).