An AP Biology Lab: Inhibiting the Action of Catechol Oxidase

Lab:
Inhibiting the Action of Catechol Oxidase
By: Kimberly G.
Introduction:
In this lab, Mr. Greene's sixth period AP Biology class split into groups "to investigate inhibition of enzyme activity by specific chemicals called inhibitors" (1). Group three pondered this lab's inhibitor, phenylthiourea (PTU).
Is it a competitive inhibitor? That is an inhibitor that literally "competes" with the substrate by mimicking it, and thus "wins" the position at the active site of the enzyme. The blocked substrate in turn cannot join with the active site, causing the enzyme's activity to be hinde…