The effects of temperature and pH on the kinetics of reactions between catalase and its suicide substrate hydrogen peroxide.

Variation of initial (intact) activity (ai), inactivation rate constant (ki) and the partition ratio (r) of bovine liver catalase in the reaction with its suicide substrate, hydrogen peroxide, were determined in workable ranges of temperature (17-42 degrees C) or pH (5-10.5), using the data of progress curves. The changes of temperature had a slight effect on ai, giving a Q10 of 1.15 for the enzymatic breakdown of H2O2, corresponding to an improved value for its activation energy of 8.8 +/- l kJ.mol-1. In contrast, the ki was greatly increased by elevation of temperature, giving a Q10 of 2.1 for the suicide inactivation reaction of catalase. Consequently, a significant decrease of r was observed by increasing of temperature. In pH studies, decreasing of pH from 7.0 to 5.0 led to reduction of ai whereas the ki value was not effected significantly, possibly due to the parallel changes in affinities to free catalase and compound I for H2O2. Reduction of ki and alpha i were observed at pH > 9.5, where reversible dissociation of tetrameric enzyme into catalytically inactive subunits is possible. The r had a maximum value at pH around 7.5, similar to that of catalase activity. The effect of ionic strength on the above kinetic parameters was studied. There was not an observable influence when the ammonium sulfate concentration was below l M.