Fuels of the Future?: Using Enzymes to Create Fuel Alternatives

Introduction
a) Background- Enzymes are proteins that speed up the rate of chemical reactions. Enzyme proteins have an active site where the chemical reaction takes place and the reactant in the reaction is a subtrate, which fits into the active site like a jig-saw puzzle piece as active sites are attracted to the chemicals of the substrate. Increasing the concentration of an enzyme or substrate can change the speed of a reaction. Cellulose is a source of sugar for organisms that is found in the cell walls of plant cells. Cellulose produces a cellulase enzyme family that catalyzes the breaking down of cellulose. Unfortunately, humans and some animals do not contain cellulase while other, plant eating animals do contain the enzyme. In order to make biofuel, fuel created from a biological source that was recently living, creator must covert cellulose into sugar, which is then converted into ethanol by microbial fermentation. Biofuels are a carbon neutral alternative to fossil fuels as it dos not add or take away from the carbon cycle and can be produced sustainably.
b) Purpose- Research companies would apply a lab like this to their own work because it helps identify the most efficient ways to create biofuels. These companies want to create biofuels that do not add to the growing problems our planet faces as we produce greenhouse gas through our exhaustion of the carbon cycle. This lab could find sustainable solutions that would not affect the carbon cycle negatively. The lab is also purposeful to our class as it illustrates that enzymatic reactions are relevant to us.
c) Process- In Day 1, We use enzymes to break down cellulose which leads to the creation of cellobiose. The cellobiose is turned into a usable fuel using cellobiase. Artificial substrate is added to create glucose and P-Nitrophenol. By adding a strong base to kill enzyme, the P-Nitrophenol turns yellow. By adding the strong base, the reaction is slowed down because the enzymes are killed. In Day 2, we grind up mushrooms and add the mushrooms juice to the reactions. The enzymes in the mushroom juice will speed up the reaction because it lowers the activation energy. 
d) Hypothesis- I predict that the reaction will turn more yellow at each time point.
Results
Discussion
When we did this lab, we encountered many problems which involved our results being different than expected. When we were measuring the mushroom extract/substrate mixture to add to each of the cuvettes, we made a mistake, causing us to run out of the mixture sooner than expected. This forced us to only be able to add the mixture to the one minute, two minute, and four minute time points. Despite the mistake on our part, we still were able to see that as the time increased, the solution turned more yellow. These results allowed us to prove our hypothesis correct that the reaction will turn more yellow at each time point.