Question

What do you think might happen if someone had a mutation that didn't allow his or her body to make carbonic anhydrase?

Answer 1

Answer:

In absence of carbonic anhydrase enzyme, transport of CO2 gas through blood plasma in form of bicarbonate ion would not occur. The person would also suffer from acidosis.

Explanation:

Carbonic anhydrase catalyzes the reversible reaction of water with CO2 and leads to the formation of carbonic acid which in turn dissociates into hydrogen and bicarbonate ions.

The enzyme present in RBCs maintains the diffusion gradient for the movement of CO2 into and out of the RBCs. Movement of bicarbonate ion out of RBCs is followed by the movement of chloride ions into RBCs.

In capillaries present around the alveoli, CO2 is diffused out of the plasma and enters the alveoli while the reaction sequence is revered at tissues and CO2 enters the RBCs.  

Therefore, if carbonic anhydrase is absent or nonfunctional, the diffusion gradient for CO2 would not be formed. It would prevent the transport of CO2 gas in blood plasma from tissues to the lungs. The protons released in the reaction also serve as a buffer to maintain the pH of extracellular fluid.  

At kidneys, reduced secretion of H+ into the urine and reduced reabsorption of Na+ and HCO3 − into the blood would cause acidosis.  

Answer 2

The person would die because carbonic anhydrase is a form family of enzymes that catalyze that rapid interconversion of carbon dioxide and water to bicarbonate and protons