Prompt 1
During an endergonic reaction, the mason takes sand, cement, gravel and water as the main ingredients of the construction process. The addition of every ingredient to make the paste can be equated to the “energy requiring” aspect of endergonic reaction. This paste is used to stick together construction stones that slowly grows with every single addition of the paste and the stones.
An exergonic reaction can be illustrated when the mason realizes that they have made an architectural mistake and needed to bring down part of the building. The painstaking and slow process of dislodging every stone from its place releases the paste used to stick together the stones together (Nelson & Cox, 2008).
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Prompt 2
The breakdown of lactose to monosaccharides glucose and galactose is an exergonic reaction since in the breakdown process, water and an energy molecule are released.
During an exergonic reaction, ATP is required to initiate the breakdown process. However, the amount of energy used is less as compared to the amount of energy released once the process comes to completion. The ensuing “energy balance” means that more energy is released as compared to the one used to initiate the process, thus an exergonic reaction ( Author Unknown, 2012) .
Prompt 3
A competitive inhibitor refers to a compound or molecule that blocks the active site of an enzyme thus hindering any substrate from being able to bind the enzyme’s active site.
For a non-competitive inhibitor, the molecule or compound does not bind itself onto the active site; rather, it binds itself to the allosteric site of the enzyme thus distorting the enzyme's shape or size of the active site.
Prompt 4
Dietary Supplements That Combat Intestinal Gas (Beano, For Example)
The breakdown action of dietary supplement enzymes (enzyme α-GAL) reduces complex sugars into simple sugars, which prevents the sugars from passing the small intestines unaffected. The action thus prevents the complex compounds from reaching the large intestines where they, otherwise, would be metabolized by intestinal flora in a fermentation process that results in the release of gases which cause discomfort.
Laundry Detergents (Those with Added Enzymes)
The addition of enzymes such as proteases and amylases into modern laundry detergents helps break down starch-based or protein-based stains into smaller segments that are physically removed from the surface of the fabric piece by piece; an action ordinary surfactants cannot effect.
Denim Jeans (Stonewashed)
Stone washing is the manufacturing process that is used to give a cloth a worn-in appearance. The enzyme cellulase is primarily used in the catalytic action of hydrolyzing cellulose during the stone washing manufacturing process; the enzyme decomposes the cellulose fibers in a controlled action which allows the jeans to have a stylistic faded appearance in certain areas ( Parameswaran & Varjani, 2019) .
Dietary Supplements That Aid the Digestion of Milk Products (Lactaid, For Example)
Dietary supplements added help lactose intolerant persons to “digest” or break down the lactose sugar into simple sugars that the digestive system can utilize. The process helps avoid stomach upset, abdominal bloating/cramping, diarrhea, and gas that are caused by these products.
Contact Lens Solutions (Those with Enzymes)
Contact lenses, during use, are in contact with tear fluid that results in a protein buildup from the fluid. Solutions with enzymes papin, pancreatin and subtilism are used in breaking down this protein buildup, in a more effective and efficient manner, while at the same time decreases the adherence of Pseudomonas to mucin-coated lenses ( Milanowski, Carter, & Weber, 2013) .
Task 2
Transportation across the Cell Membrane
Diffusion
This is the simple movement of molecules from a point of high concentration to a point of low concentration across a membrane requiring no energy. An example is that of osmosis where water diffuses or moves in or out of a cell.
Facilitated Diffusion
This is the movement of molecules through a membrane, assisted by transport proteins. An example is that of phospholipids that repel hydrophilic substances thus requiring a protein channel to pass through a membrane.
Active Transport
This process uses energy and a transport protein to move substances against a concentration gradient. An example is that of the action of the sodium-potassium pump that uses ATP to transport Na + and K + across a membrane.
Endocytosis
This is the process where a cell engulfs fluids and large molecules as a way of transporting them into the cell. Once the engulfed “items” are into the cell, the vesicle wall diffuses to release the contents into the cell (Nelson & Cox, 2008).
References
Author Unknown. (2012). Cellular Energy Metabolism and Its Regulation . New York: Academic Press.
Milanowski, P., Carter T. J, & Weber, G. F. (2013) Enzyme Catalysis and the Outcome of Biochemical Reactions. J Proteomics Bioinform 6: 132-141.
Nelson, D. L., & Cox, M.M. (2008). Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (5th Edition) . New York: W. H. Freeman.
Parameswaran, B., & Varjani, S. (2019). Green Bio-Processes: Enzymes in Industrial Food Processing (Energy, Environment, and Sustainability). New York: Springer Publisher.
