1. What is a Specific Activity Calculator for Enzymes?

Definition: This calculator determines the specific activity of an enzyme, which is the enzyme activity per unit mass of protein.

Purpose: It helps biochemists and researchers quantify enzyme purity and compare different enzyme preparations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( SA \) — Specific activity (units/mg)
• \( A \) — Enzyme activity (units)
• \( m \) — Mass of protein (mg)

Explanation: The enzyme activity is divided by the mass of protein to determine how much activity is present per milligram of protein.

3. Importance of Specific Activity Calculation

Details: Specific activity is crucial for assessing enzyme purity, comparing different preparations, and standardizing enzyme concentrations in experiments.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the enzyme activity in units and the protein mass in milligrams. Both values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are enzyme activity units?
A: One unit of enzyme activity is typically defined as the amount that catalyzes the conversion of 1 μmol of substrate per minute under specified conditions.

Q2: How do I measure enzyme activity?
A: Activity is measured using assays that monitor substrate disappearance or product formation over time under controlled conditions.

Q3: What's a good specific activity value?
A: This varies by enzyme, but higher values indicate purer preparations. Compare to literature values for your specific enzyme.

Q4: Why is specific activity important in purification?
A: It's used to track purification progress - specific activity should increase with each purification step as contaminants are removed.

Q5: Can I use different mass units?
A: Yes, but be consistent - if you use μg for mass, your specific activity will be in units/μg.