I need to conduct an experiment to study the action of pepsin on egg white (protein).

Pepsin is the enzyme that found in gastric juice that helps digest protein. It digests large protein molecules into smaller protein molecules (smaller polypeptides) and is therefore an enzyme that breaks down a protein. The observation for test tube A is the solution is dissolve. The biuret test showed positive result and it show us that there is protein in the solution. It is because there is no enzyme pepsin in the solution so enzymatic reaction does ot take place in the test tube. Pepsin is not added into the test tube, hence pepsin do not react with the protein to break the protein into peptide bond. A proteolytic enzyme that is the principal digestive component of gastric juice. It acts as a catalyst in the chemical breakdown of protein to form a mixture of polypeptides; it is formed from pepsinogen in the presence of acid or, autocatalytically, in the presence of pepsin itself. Pepsin also has milk-clotting action similar to that of rennin and thereby facilitates the digestion of milk protein ( http://www.answers.com/topic/pepsin ) It means that without enzyme, process to breakdown the protein into polypeptides cannot happen.

For test tube B, I observed that the solution in test tube B become gradually dissolve. The biuret test showed the negative result. There is no protein in the solution. It is because the pepsin digest the protein gradually. _______________________________________________________________

The solution in test tube c become transparent. The biuret test showed positive result and it means that there is protein in the solution. It is because the enzyme does not react in neutral condition. It only reacts in acidic condition. Artificial gastric juice is an acidic solution while dilute sodium hydroxide is an alkaline solution. When it mixed together, the solution become neutral solution. Enzymatic reaction cannot occur in the solution. Pepsin is the enzyme that breaks down proteins during digestion. It is produced by the walls of thestomach. It requires a strongly acidic environment such as that present in the stomach.( 2010, http://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0035577.html). Pepsin requires a low pH level in order to function. Antacids, however, raise the pH level of the gastric juices to a level that is not optimal for pepsin to work. Since pepsin is needed in order to break down proteins into polypeptides, those who take over-the-counter or prescription antacids actually may be doing more harm than good in that they may be hindering part of the digestive process.( Wanda Marie Thibodeaux, 1999 http://www.ehow.com/about_5127352_function-pepsindigestion.html,