What happens to enzymes if the temperature is too high during cellular respiration?

Enzymes are biological catalysts that play a crucial role in facilitating chemical reactions, including those involved in cellular respiration. Each enzyme has an optimal temperature range within which it functions effectively. If the temperature exceeds this optimal range, enzymes can begin to denature.

Denaturation is a process where the enzyme's three-dimensional structure is altered due to the breaking of bonds that hold its shape. This change often results in the enzyme losing its active site—where substrate molecules bind for the reaction to occur. As a consequence, the enzyme can no longer bind substrates properly, leading to a significant decrease in its activity and efficiency in catalyzing reactions, and ultimately, disrupting the process of cellular respiration.

Therefore, when temperatures are too high, the critical structural integrity of enzymes is compromised, which directly affects their functionality during cellular respiration.