Thursday - More on Enzymes

Thursday we worked on the lab involving how proteolytic enzymes and/or heat affect proteins such as collagen. Collagen is a structural protein involved in skin, connective tissue and bones of animals. Below are a couple of images of collagen and how it is organized.

Enzymes have specific 'substrates' or targets on which they work. Some enzymes 'digest' or 'break down' their substrate, while others put 2 targets together. Which type is our 'proteolytic' enzyme from fruit? What is the enzyme's substrate in our lab? Will that enzyme break down another substrate?

Proteins (which is what enzymes are!) can be denatured by heat and some chemicals. This is the process of denaturation.

In our lab, we are looking how 2 variables affect