NEETBotanyBiomolecules (B)
When enzyme activity (y-axis) is plotted against temperature (x-axis), a bell-shaped curve is obtained. Which of the following statements correctly describes the physical state of the enzyme at the left extreme (minimum temperature) and the right extreme (maximum temperature) of this curve?
Options
- AAt the left extreme, the enzyme is denatured, whereas at the right extreme, it is preserved in a temporarily i
- BAt both the left and right extremes, the enzyme is permanently denatured due to unfavourable thermal condition
- CAt the left extreme, the enzyme is highly active but lacks kinetic energy, whereas at the right extreme, it is
- DAt the left extreme, the enzyme is preserved in a temporarily inactive state, whereas at the right extreme, it
Correct answer
D. At the left extreme, the enzyme is preserved in a temporarily inactive state, whereas at the right extreme, it
Step-by-step solution
The graphical representation of enzyme activity versus temperature yields a bell-shaped curve. Enzymes generally function optimally within a narrow range of temperature. At the left extreme of the curve (very low temperatures), the enzyme is preserved in a temporarily inactive state, meaning its structure is intact but it lacks the thermal energy required for catalysis. At the right extreme of the curve (very high temperatures), enzymatic activity drops to zero and is permanently destroyed because the heat denature