Shanxian Chemical
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Catalase Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is highly oxidizing. However, in nature or in living organisms, it is often decomposed by catalase. Why this enzyme can promote the efficient progress of this reaction is the key question of chemistry and biology. Catalase is a class of proteins with a specific spatial structure. The delicate structure of its active center is just in line with the hydrogen peroxide molecule, like a lock and key. When the hydrogen peroxide molecule is close to the active center of the enzyme, the two are closely bound by many weak interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, etc.
This change in the conformation of the catalase molecule makes the chemical bond in the hydrogen peroxide molecule unstable. The oxygen-oxygen bond of hydrogen peroxide has a higher energy, and under the action of the enzyme, this bond is more likely to break. Then it decomposes into water and oxygen, that is,\ (2H_ {2} O_ {2}\ stackrel {catalase }{=\!=\!=} 2H_ {2} O + O_ {2}\ uparrow\).
Catalase participates in this reaction, but after the reaction, its own structure and properties remain unchanged, and it can continue to participate in the subsequent decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. This is the characteristic of enzyme-catalyzed reaction, which is efficient and specific. It can greatly accelerate the decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide under mild conditions, which is more than ten million times higher than the reaction rate without enzyme catalysis.
In organisms, cell metabolism often produces hydrogen peroxide. If it is not decomposed in time, its strong oxidation will damage cell structure and function. Fortunately, catalase exists in large numbers in peroxisomes and other parts, guarding cells at all times, rapidly decomposing hydrogen peroxide, maintaining the stability of the intracellular environment and maintaining the orderly progress of life activities. This is the approximate mechanism of catalase decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, which is of great significance in many fields such as biochemistry, medicine, environmental science, etc.
This change in the conformation of the catalase molecule makes the chemical bond in the hydrogen peroxide molecule unstable. The oxygen-oxygen bond of hydrogen peroxide has a higher energy, and under the action of the enzyme, this bond is more likely to break. Then it decomposes into water and oxygen, that is,\ (2H_ {2} O_ {2}\ stackrel {catalase }{=\!=\!=} 2H_ {2} O + O_ {2}\ uparrow\).
Catalase participates in this reaction, but after the reaction, its own structure and properties remain unchanged, and it can continue to participate in the subsequent decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. This is the characteristic of enzyme-catalyzed reaction, which is efficient and specific. It can greatly accelerate the decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide under mild conditions, which is more than ten million times higher than the reaction rate without enzyme catalysis.
In organisms, cell metabolism often produces hydrogen peroxide. If it is not decomposed in time, its strong oxidation will damage cell structure and function. Fortunately, catalase exists in large numbers in peroxisomes and other parts, guarding cells at all times, rapidly decomposing hydrogen peroxide, maintaining the stability of the intracellular environment and maintaining the orderly progress of life activities. This is the approximate mechanism of catalase decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, which is of great significance in many fields such as biochemistry, medicine, environmental science, etc.
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