The Enzymatic Activity of Lysozyme Is Optimal at PH 5

question 51

Essay

The enzymatic activity of lysozyme is optimal at pH 5.2 and decreases above and below this pH value. Lysozyme contains two amino acid residues in the active site essential for catalysis: Glu³⁵ and Asp⁵². The pK value for the carboxyl side chains of these two residues are 5.9 and 4.5, respectively. What is the ionization state of each residue at the pH optimum of lysozyme? How can the ionization states of these two amino acid residues explain the pH-activity profile of lysozyme?

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