What does cellulase degrade?

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Multiple Choice

What does cellulase degrade?

Cellulase is the enzyme that breaks down cellulose, which is a polymer made up entirely of glucose units linked by beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds. When cellulase acts, it hydrolyzes those bonds to release glucose monomers. That’s why describing the reaction as cellulose → glucose is correct. The other possibilities suggest producing galactose or fructose from cellulose, but cellulose doesn’t contain those sugars, so those products wouldn’t come from cellulase activity. Starch is a different polysaccharide with different linkages, and its breakdown (to maltose or glucose) is carried out by amylases, not cellulase.

Cellulase is the enzyme that breaks down cellulose, which is a polymer made up entirely of glucose units linked by beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds. When cellulase acts, it hydrolyzes those bonds to release glucose monomers. That’s why describing the reaction as cellulose → glucose is correct. The other possibilities suggest producing galactose or fructose from cellulose, but cellulose doesn’t contain those sugars, so those products wouldn’t come from cellulase activity. Starch is a different polysaccharide with different linkages, and its breakdown (to maltose or glucose) is carried out by amylases, not cellulase.

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