Problem: Using new genetic editing tools, you decide to do some protein engineering. You are working on an enzyme (X) that breaks a bond in the sucrose molecule, allowing you to further convert it into an artificial sweetener later on. However, there are several problems with this enzyme
You want to make the reaction catalyzed by X more efficient. You change one amino acid in the active site and then compare the kM and Vmax of the enzyme. You find that that Km remains at 2000 uM, and the 1/2Vmax goes from .15 mmol/second to 30 mmol/second. What effect did your change have on the X enzyme? Did it make it perform better or worse? Provide a hypothesis for what you think happened, and explain why you think your hypothesis is reasonable.