Optimum Temperature for Phosphomonoesterase Soil Enzyme Activity Assay
Session Number
Project ID: ERSP 03
Advisor(s)
Andrew J. Margenot; University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana, Department of Crop Sciences
Discipline
Earth and Space Sciences
Start Date
19-4-2023 10:20 AM
End Date
19-4-2023 10:35 AM
Abstract
Enzymes assays are highly valuable in biochemistry as they offer a method of measuring enzyme activity, which is an important factor when measuring soil quality and health. An important factor when running enzyme assays is the incubation process. In order to make sure that an enzyme is giving an accurate reading of its potential enzyme activity, the enzyme needs to be incubated at its temperature optima. Many enzymes, especially ones that inhabit mammals, are often kept at the body temperature of about 37 ℃, which is the reason many enzymes assays say to incubate the enzymes at a similar temperature. Because the enzymes that often inhabit soils are different from those that inhabit mammals, there is speculation on whether 37 ℃ truly reflects the temperature optima for all enzymes. Our research shows that the temperature optima is not consistent across all enzymes. When running the assay for soils that react with para-nitrophenol linked substrates, specifically phosphomonoesterase, there is clear evidence that the traditional 37 ℃ used during incubation is not reflective of the temperature optima for phosphomonoesterase which may be as high as 70 ℃.
Optimum Temperature for Phosphomonoesterase Soil Enzyme Activity Assay
Enzymes assays are highly valuable in biochemistry as they offer a method of measuring enzyme activity, which is an important factor when measuring soil quality and health. An important factor when running enzyme assays is the incubation process. In order to make sure that an enzyme is giving an accurate reading of its potential enzyme activity, the enzyme needs to be incubated at its temperature optima. Many enzymes, especially ones that inhabit mammals, are often kept at the body temperature of about 37 ℃, which is the reason many enzymes assays say to incubate the enzymes at a similar temperature. Because the enzymes that often inhabit soils are different from those that inhabit mammals, there is speculation on whether 37 ℃ truly reflects the temperature optima for all enzymes. Our research shows that the temperature optima is not consistent across all enzymes. When running the assay for soils that react with para-nitrophenol linked substrates, specifically phosphomonoesterase, there is clear evidence that the traditional 37 ℃ used during incubation is not reflective of the temperature optima for phosphomonoesterase which may be as high as 70 ℃.