An organism dies once its core temperature reaches 42 degrees C, why does increase in temperature cause this?

Question

An organism dies once its core temperature reaches 42 degrees C, why does increase in temperature cause this?

Answer 1

Such temperature denaturates proteins and the cells can't survive.

Answer 2

Like is said above, increased heat causes more vibrations in the proteins of the body. This leads to bonds breaking between molecules in proteins. This causes them to change shape. Enzymes are proteins, and a change in shape will cause the active site of an enzyme to no longer be the right shape for the substrate.

This leads to the enzyme not working, this is called denaturing.

Denatured enzymes are then unable to convert certain products into others (oxygen plus carbon into carbon dioxide), which causes the body to die.

Answer 3

Enzymes are catalysts which "speed up" reactions. Although reactions within the body would occur naturally, they need to be sped up in order for us to survive for example the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into H20 within the liver needs to be quick or else we would die.

Enzymes within the human body have an optimum temperature of 98.6F. This is when the rate of reaction is at its greatest. At certain high temperatures, these enzymes will "denature" and change shape.

Enzymes are proteins with a specific shape created by different bonds. Heat will affect these bonds causing the shape of the protein to be altered. As an enzymes specific shape is vital for its role, the enzyme will not be able to perform its function, meaning reactions within the body will slow down considerably...leading to death.

Answer 4

denatures enzymes required for life such as those in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway