Biology Forum Molecular Biology enzyme denatureization

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    • #6419
      bugmenot
      Participant

      I know changes in pH and high temperatures can denature an enzyme, but what about low temperatures? Would putting an enzyme that is found in 90C conditions in a 4C cooler denature it?

      Thanks.

    • #61187
      oppox
      Participant

      I know that a friend of mine happened to denaturate his protein when he tried to store it in a freezer, however it dont apply to all proteins. Taq polymerase for instanse is stored below zero, it comes from a heat resistent bacteria. Its hard to say if yours will denaturate.

    • #63064
      Vibrio
      Participant

      I cannot see how an enzyme would denature in a low temp. Heat speeds things up, so wouldn’t it just either stay the same or not work as well or something (in a low temp)?

    • #63067
      SororSaudade
      Participant

      generally low temperatures inactivate enzymes. I don’t know if a long time storage can damage them (it happens with DNA). there may be some exceptions, probably.

    • #63095
      destiny
      Participant

      I also think low temperature would inactivate the enzyme.

    • #63101
      victor
      Participant

      yup, I think like that too. The reason I think is related to the secondary and tertiary structure of the enzyme, where hydrogen binding and hydrophobic interaction would not be same as the active enzyme (you’ll get this idea when you imagine how ice float in water 😆 )

      But one question that still confusing me, I found that lipase is still active even in the temperature 0 ºC……:?

    • #63106
      oppox
      Participant

      I my self thought it to be safe to store proteins in a freezer, but then my friend told me about his protein. Also there are something called cold denaturation.

    • #63169
      wbla3335
      Participant

      Many proteins can denature if the medium they are in freezes. Most enzymes used in molecular biology that are stored at -20 C are kept in a glycerol buffer that prevents freezing. You could try doing this. If you’d like to store your proteins frozen, you could try snap freezing them in liquid nitrogen. This process seems to cause less denaturation for many proteins.

    • #63428
      01addiv-llangirb
      Participant

      Enzymes have come out of ice very deep in the antartic ok so i doubt a standard freezer will have much effect on there action if warmed up again.

    • #63444
      sachin
      Participant

      Ice Cool Enzyme==Low acivity of Enzyme.

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