Renin

The Effects of Temperature on the Rate of which Rennin Acts on Milk

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to investigate the optimum temperature for enzyme activity, the addition of 1.5 ml of Junket solution to 30 ml of milk, manipulating the milk temperature (C®) and rennin. Mixing the milk with the Junket that contains rennin, reacts with the milk proteins, causes the milk to coagulate. Time is taken for solidification of the milk, if solidification is occurred, it is recorded with a stopwatch. Results shows, out of the five temperatures that is tested, the temperature of 37® was the optimum temperature for rennin to be able to react. This shows that rennin operates at it optimum when in temperature conditions which resemble the body temperature.

Introduction

Several important ways that can be accelerated within the rate of chemical reaction, such as in an increase of temperature up to the optimum and by the use of catalyst. A catalyst is a substance, usually used in small amounts relative to reactants, that modifies and increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed in the process. Protein molecules are called enzymes that functions as a catalyst. They speed up biochemical reactions in living organisms without having raising the temperature of the reaction.

Enzymes are proteins that serve as catalyst. They speed up or slow down reactions, but remain unchanged. The activity of enzymes is strongly affected by changes in pH and temperature and ion concentration When the temperature is too low, molecules such as the rennin enzymes and the milk proteins, do not move as fast, consequently make the enzyme catalyzed reaction occur at a slower rate. When the temperature conditions are too high or the pH levels in the enzymes environment and higher or lower than the enzymes usual environment, the enzyme will denature, changing the unique 3D structure and disable the binding the desired substrate. However, if the conditions in which concentration are...