Work Sheet 11
Enzyme Mechanisms-Serine
Proteases
1. Describe the general roles played by the
serine, histidine and aspartate residues in the active site of chymotrypsin.
2. Explain why histidine is found in the active site of
many diverse proteases.
3. Diagram the catalytic mechanism of chymotrypsin, identifying the two transition
states.
4. Give two examples
of other serine proteases and their general physiological role.
5. Define the term proenzyme and give an example of a physiological role for proenzymes.
© Sturm 2016