Measurement of Enzyme Kinetics by Use of a Blood Glucometer: Hydrolysis of Sucrose and Lactose

An alternative analytical method for measuring the kinetic parameters of the enzymes invertase and lactase is described. Invertase hydrolyzes sucrose to glucose and fructose and lactase hydrolyzes lactose to glucose and galactose. In most enzyme kinetics studies, photometric methods or test strips are used to quantify the derivates of the substrates. The use of a commercial blood glucose meter to determine the hydrolyzed glucose is described. This inexpensive and efficient method can be used when teaching enzymatic kinetics in lower-level biochemistry laboratories.