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Increasing the temperature outside the optimal range for an enzyme can lead to _____ of the enzyme, altering the enzyme's structure and function.

User Bsravanin
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Final answer:

Increasing the temperature outside an enzyme's optimal range leads to denaturation, impacting its structure and function. Extreme temperatures and pH levels can disrupt the enzyme's active site and result in loss of enzyme activity.

Step-by-step explanation:

Increasing the temperature outside the optimal range for an enzyme can lead to denaturation of the enzyme, altering the enzyme's structure and function. Enzymes, which are proteins, are highly sensitive to their environment. An increase in temperature can enhance enzyme activity up to a point, but beyond this optimal range, the heat can disrupt chemical bonds within the enzyme's active sites. This disruption causes enzymes to lose their specific three-dimensional structure, resulting in a loss of function. Similarly, extreme pH values can also lead to enzyme denaturation, affecting the interaction between enzymes and substrates.

User Trollbrot
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