A newly discovered bacterium, Pseudomonas plasticivorans, secretes an extracellular enzyme called PETase. PETase is a globular protein that catalyses the hydrolysis of the synthetic polymer PET (polyethylene terephthalate) into its monomers. The reaction occurs outside the bacterial cell. Explain how the lock-and-key hypothesis and the induced-fit hypothesis differ in their description of the binding of PETase to its substrate PET. In your answer, also outline how a colorimeter could be used to investigate the rate of disappearance of PET in this reaction.
CAIE A Level Biology 9700 · Enzymes
Enzymes: explain question
Explain5 marksChallenge
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5 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 5 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.
Explain means: Give the reasons or the mechanism: why or how something happens. Link each point to the next with because, so or which means. A list of facts with no links usually loses the reasoning marks.
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