Prepare for the Microbial Metabolism Test. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions with helpful hints and detailed explanations. Ace your test with ease!

Multiple Choice

What does caseinase hydrolyze?

Caseinase acts as a protease that targets casein, the protein found in milk. It cleaves peptide bonds in casein, breaking it down into smaller peptides and amino acids. Because the enzyme’s job is proteolysis of a protein, the hydrolysis product is amino acids, not sugars or fatty acids. Gelatinase, for example, would hydrolyze gelatin, not casein. Likewise, hydrolyzing casein would not yield sugars or fatty acids. In a practical test, clearing around colonies on a skim milk medium indicates casein breakdown by caseinase, reflecting its proteolytic activity.

Caseinase acts as a protease that targets casein, the protein found in milk. It cleaves peptide bonds in casein, breaking it down into smaller peptides and amino acids. Because the enzyme’s job is proteolysis of a protein, the hydrolysis product is amino acids, not sugars or fatty acids. Gelatinase, for example, would hydrolyze gelatin, not casein. Likewise, hydrolyzing casein would not yield sugars or fatty acids. In a practical test, clearing around colonies on a skim milk medium indicates casein breakdown by caseinase, reflecting its proteolytic activity.