Biology 9700 · AS & A Level · Protein synthesis

Protein synthesis — practice question

Phosphatases are enzymes that speed up the removal of phosphate groups from organic compounds. Some students studied how substrate concentration affected the rate of the reaction catalysed by an acid phosphatase (enzyme A). Their results are shown in Fig. $2.1$.
(a)[2]

From Fig. $2.1$, the students obtained the Michaelis-Menten constant $K_m$ for enzyme A as $0.3\,\text{mmol dm}^{-3}$. Explain how they obtained $K_m$.

(b)[2]

The students investigated another phosphatase enzyme (enzyme B) and found that $K_m$ was greater than $0.3\,\text{mmol dm}^{-3}$. Explain the difference between the $K_m$ values of these two phosphatase enzymes.

(c)[4]

The students repeated their investigation on enzyme A using a competitive inhibitor. They kept the same substrate concentrations as before, but added a competitive inhibitor to each reaction mixture. The inhibitor concentration was the same in every reaction mixture. The students found that $V_{\max}$ was unchanged, but $K_m$ was greater than $0.3\,\text{mmol dm}^{-3}$. Explain how adding the competitive inhibitor gives the same value for $V_{\max}$ but a higher value for $K_m$.

Worked solution & mark scheme

This 8-mark question has a full step-by-step worked solution and mark scheme. One marking point: $\frac{1}{2}V_{max} = 7\ \mu\text{mol dm}^{-3}\ \text{min}^{-1}$ or half of $V_{max}$ taken from the graph

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