Question

You are interested in developing a blood test method to diagnose a disease. The disease is caused by an increased enzyme “X” catalytic activity involved in a specific metabolic pathway in the liver. Enzyme “X” is also found in other tissues and have normal level catalytic activities. All the tissues secrete enzyme “X” and therefore this enzyme can be expected to be presented in the blood. You can assume that the liver enzyme has a change in 3-D conformation. Explain a strategy to develop a diagnostic methodology

Answer 1

A change in the 3D conformation of the liver enzyme will result in the alteration of the active site of the enzyme. This alteration will prevent the actual substrate to bind to the enzyme, which will affect the metabolic pathway that the enzyme was originally involved in the liver cells.

In order to test for this altered enzyme, the blood would be collected from the patient and then the substrate amount could checked. Moreover, the enzyme could be extracted and then, its ability to bind with the substrate could be checked.