What might happen to the rate of glucose production as the temperature of a solution of sucrose and (human) sucrase was raised from 33°C to 43°C and why?

Sucrase is an enzyme that breaks sucrose down to its constituent monosaccharides – glucose and fructose. At 33°C the enzyme will not be working at its’ optimum, as it has evolved to work most efficiently at 37°C – human body temperature. Therefore, as the temperature increases, initially the rate of glucose production will increase, due to the increased kinetic energy of the system causing more enzyme-substrate complexes to form. After 37°C however, the proteins that make up the enzymes will begin to denature (weak Hydrogen bonds will break). This will cause the active site of the enzymes to change shape. As more and more enzymes become denatured, the rate of glucose production will slow, until no further complexes can form (the substrate no longer ‘fits’ into the enzyme) and no more glucose will be produced.

Answered by Miranda M. Biology tutor

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