The enzymatic hydrolysis of sucrose by the enzyme sucrase will result in the formation of its two monosaccharide components, glucose and fructose, as seen in the model above. The activity of an enzyme is affected by many factors including temperature and pH. Each enzyme has an optimum temperature and pH at which its reaction rate is fastest. The optimum pH range for sucrase activity is 4 – 8. Imagine the pH of the environment in which the hydrolysis of sucrose is to occur has dropped to 2. How will this drop in pH influence point D in the model?
A) The enzyme (B) will allow less of the substrate (A) to move into the active site (C).
B) More of the substrate (A) will fit into the active site (C), so more products will be produced.
C) The substrate (A) will no longer fit into the active site (C) because the enzyme has changed shape.
D) There will be no change to the components of point D with a drop in pH; only temperature can denature the enzyme.
