AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Enzymes inhibited by mercury include acetylcholinesterase, catalase, dipeptyl peptidase (CD26), amylase, lipase, lactase and glucose-6-phosphatase.

Detailed explanation-2: -Mercury and other toxic heavy metals disrupt cellular function by inhibiting or denaturing critical enzymes and proteins.

Detailed explanation-3: -Mercury, as mercuric ion, appears to be a reversible competitive inhibitor, which shows no distinct dependence upon pH or counter-ion concentration and does not completely inacti-vate the enzyme (Myrback, 1957).

Detailed explanation-4: -Examples of enzyme-inhibiting agents are cimetidine, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and isoniazid.

Detailed explanation-5: -They are competitive inhibition, non-competitive inhibition, uncompetitive inhibition, and mixed inhibition.