Measuring Enzyme Activity: Yeast Catalase

Abstract

Yeast contains an enzyme, called catalase, that acts as a catalyst for the reaction that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water (2H₂O₂2H₂O + O₂). Safety note: oxygen is a highly reactive gas, adult supervision recommended for this project. For your background research, be sure that you understand substrate, catalyst, reaction rate, catalase, enzyme saturation and protein denaturation. Use a solution of 3% H₂O₂ for the substrate. Construct an apparatus that allows you to collect and measure the oxygen gas produced (for a description, see: An Aerobic Exercise: Yeast Metabolism with and without Aeration). Here are some questions you might try to answer with your project: What evidence do you have that the gas you are collecting is oxygen? How does the reaction rate depend on the amount of substrate? At what substrate concentration does the reaction show evidence of enzyme saturation? How does the reaction rate depend on temperature (try increments of 10°C)? At what temperature does the reaction show evidence of protein denaturation? How does the activity of yeast catalase compare to catalase from potato extract or liver extract? How does it compare to the activity of iron oxide? (Gardner, 1999, 97-99; Hamamah, 2005)

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Last edit date: 2020-11-20

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