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Students take a hands-on and visual approach to understanding the activity of the enzyme amylase in a variety of samples. Students can design their own investigation by choosing to isolate their amylase from saliva, bean extract, or a variety of other samples. After running their protein samples on the gel, they observe starch breakdown to determine the location of amylase bands. This advanced activity is the perfect inquiry component for your next protein lab.

Advanced—For experienced high school and college classes; requires some technical skill.

Good for inquiry-based learning!
To combine protein electrophoresis with an understanding of enzyme activity, students use agarose protein electrophoresis to separate proteins in human saliva, bean extract, or another sample of interest and examine them for amylase activity.

Samples are run in duplicate: Half the gel is used for COOMASSIE® total protein staining to show multiple proteins; the other half is incubated under conditions to optimize amylase activity. Visible gel clearing from digestion of starch present in the gel can be seen where the bands of amylase are present.

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