ENZYMES AND pH

• As enzymes move from the mouth to the stomach, they denature and no longer function.

• As enzymes moves from the stomach to the small intestine, they denature and no longer function.

• Look at the graph below, which shows three digestive enzymes and their pH ranges.

• Amylase is produced in the mouth (pH 6-7), and begins the digestion of carbohydrates.

  • • When amylase is swallowed with food to the stomach, it denatures in the acidic environment.

      • pH 2 is out of the range of amylase.

• Pepsin is produced in the stomach (pH 1-3), and begins the digestion of proteins.

  • • When pepsin moves along with chyme to the small intestine, it denatures in the neutral /slightly basic environment.

      • pH 8 is out of the range of pepsin

• Trypsin is a protein-digesting enzyme that functions in the small intestine.

  • pH ~8 is optimal for trypsin to function in.

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