Pressure variation of enzymatic reaction rates: III. Catalase.

The effect of pressure on the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by catalase has been investigated to 1000 bar by spectrophotometry and oxygen polarography. Comparison between the two methods showed good agreement up to 700 bar but increasing deviation above that pressure. The kinetic behavior of catalase is rather complicated and difficult to interpret. For small peroxide concentrations the reaction rate increased with pressure below 500 bar. For higher concentrations the rate decreased at all pressures. Temperature had no marked effect on the pressure behavior but addition of KCl led to a large increase in activation volume.