Name: __________________________________ Date: _________________ Entry # Lab

CATALASE ENZYMES IN YEAST LAB

Introduction
Have you ever wondered how all the food that you eat gets digested? It is not only the acid in your
stomach that breaks down your food—many little molecules in your body, called enzymes, help with
that too. Enzymes are special types of proteins that speed up chemical reactions, such as the
digestion of food in your stomach. In fact, there are thousands of different enzymes in your body
that work around-the-clock to keep you healthy and active. In this science activity you will investigate
one of these enzymes, called catalase, to find out how it helps to protect your body from cell damage.

Enzymes are essential for life. They are proteins made by our cells to help transform chemicals in our
body. Enzymes play a vital role in the chemical reactions that take place in our body, by functioning as
a catalyst. A catalyst gets reactions started and makes them happen faster by increasing the
rate of a reaction that otherwise might not happen at all or would take too long to sustain life.
However, a catalyst does not take part in the reaction itself—so how does this work? Each chemical
reaction needs a minimum amount of energy to make it happen. This energy is called the
activation energy. The lower the activation energy of a reaction, the faster it takes place. If the
activation energy is too high, the reaction does not occur.

Enzymes have the ability to lower the activation energy of a chemical reaction by interacting with its
reactants. Each enzyme has an active site, which is where the reaction takes place (Figure 1). These
sites are like special pockets that can bind a chemical molecule. The compounds or molecules the
enzyme reacts with are called their substrates. The enzyme pocket has a special shape so that only
one specific substrate is able to bind to it, just like only one key fits into a specific lock. Once the
molecule is bound to the enzyme, the chemical reaction takes place. Then, the reaction products are
released from the pocket and the enzyme is ready to start all over again with another substrate
molecule.

Catalase is a very common enzyme that is present in almost all organisms that are exposed to oxygen.
The purpose of catalase in living cells is to protect them from oxidative damage. Oxidative
damage is damage to cells or other molecules in the body caused by oxidative compounds. This
damage is a natural result of reactions happening inside your cells, that result in by-products such as
hydrogen peroxide, that can be harmful to the body, just like how a by-product of a nice bonfire can be
unwanted smoke that makes you cough and your eyes sting. To prevent such damage, the catalase
enzyme helps getting rid of these compounds by breaking up hydrogen peroxide into harmless
water and oxygen.
Safety

Materials

• Dry instant yeast (18 grams total - 3 grams per cup)

• Hydrogen Peroxide, 3% (at least 100 mL)
• Plastic Cups (4)
• Marking pencil
• Paper towel
• Food coloring
• Balance
• Graduated cylinders (2) 25ml and 50ml
• Scoopula

Procedure

Part I
______ 1. Use a marker to label the 4 cups from 1 to 4.
______ 2. Add a different color drop of food coloring to each cup.
______ 3. To cup 1, add 7 milliliters (mL) of water; no further additions are made at this point. (This is
your control)
______ 4. To cup 2, add 7 mL of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
______ 5. To cup 3, add 14 mL of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
______ 6. To cup 4, add 30 mL of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
______ 7. Take cup number 1 and place it in front of you on the work area. Mass out 3 grams of
yeast. Add it to the cup and swirl slightly.
______ 8 .Place cup number 2 in front of you. Mass out 3 grams of yeast. Add it to the cup and swirl
the cup slightly.
______ 9. Place cup number 3 in front of you. Mass out 3 grams of yeast. Add it to the cup and swirl
the cup slightly.
______ 10. Finally, place cup number 4 in front of you. Mass out 3 grams of yeast. Add it to the cup
and swirl the cup slightly.
______ 11. Place all 4 cups next to each other on a paper towel. Use the table on the next page to
evaluate your enzyme activity and record it in Data Table 1.
______ 12. Clean and dry cups before going to Part II.
Use the following criteria to rate yeast enzyme action in the cup:

0 No foaming in cup = no enzyme activity

1 Small amount of foaming = little enzyme activity
2 Considerable amount of foaming = modest enzyme activity
3 Substantial amount of foaming = lots of enzyme activity
4 Large amount of foaming = major enzyme activity

Part II

______ 1. Using cups number 1 and 2, add 3 grams of yeast to each.

______ 2. To cup 1, add 10 mL of 1M HCl and swirl the cup. Let the cup sit for five minutes.
______ 3. To cup 2, add 10 mL of boiling water. Let the cup sit for five minutes.
______ 4. Add 7mL of hydrogen peroxide solution to cups 1 and 2.
______ 5. Place both cups next to each other on a paper towel. Use the table on the top of the page
to evaluate your enzyme activity and record it in Data Table 1.
______ 6. Record your results in Data Table 2.
______ 7. Clean and dry cups.

Data

Part I

Cup Contents Results

Number
1 Water

2 7 mL Hydrogen peroxide + yeast

3 14 mL Hydrogen peroxide + yeast

4 30 mL Hydrogen peroxide + yeast

Part II
Cup Contents Results
Number
1 HCL + yeast + hydrogen peroxide

2 Boiling water + yeast + hydrogen

peroxide
Analysis Questions
• Type your responses to the questions below in full sentences.

• Print them out and staple them to this lab. DO NOT wait until the due date to print out
your analysis questions. All printing must be done at home, during study hall or at
lunch. No passes will be given during class to print.

• Hand in the paper lab to the teacher on the due date.

1. What type of specialized macromolecules are enzymes?

2. What is the name of the enzyme we examined in this lab?

3. In your own words define a catalyst.

4. What are substrates (the molecule that the enzyme acted on) in this lab?

5. Which cup # in Part 1 showed the greatest amount of enzyme activity?

6. Which cup # in Part 2 showed the greatest amount of enzyme activity?

7. Explain why some cups show very limited or no enzyme activity.

8. If a person were running a very high fever, their catalase enzyme may not work. Explain.

9. Look at the diagram below. Will every shaped substrate work with every shaped enzyme?
Why or why not?