Question

The amino acid asparagine can promote cancer cell proliferation. Treating patients with the enzyme asparaginase is sometimes used as a chemotherapy treatment. Asparaginase hydrolyzes asparagine to aspartate and ammonia.

Considering the provided Michaelis–Menten curves for two different asparaginase enzymes, complete the passage. The arrow indicates the concentration of asparagine in the human body.

< Question 2 of 4 > Asparaginase 1 Asparaginase 2 [S] The Vmax of asparaginase 1 is equal to the Vmax of asparaginase 2. At the substrate concentration indicated by the arrow, asparaginase 1 reaction velocity is slower than asparaginase 2 reaction velocity. The Km of asparaginase 1 is asparaginase 2 - would less than - the Km of asparaginase 2. Considering the performance of the enzymes, make a more effective chemotherapeutic agent.

Answer 1

Asparaginase 1 Vmax for asparaginase 1 Vmax for asparaginase 2 Asparaginase 2 Km for asparaginase 1 Ki for Jasparaginase 2 (S)

From the graph, the following conclusions can be made:

1. V_max of asparaginase 1 is higher than V_max of asparaginase 2.

2. K_m of asparaginase 1 is higher than K_m of asparaginase 2.

Lower the Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m), higher is the affinity of the enzyme for substrate. Such enzymes need a high amount of substrate to reach the maximum velocity. So, in this case, asparaginase 2 is a better enzyme because it will use more amount of asparagine amino acid and will decrease the chances of cancer.