Single answerDifficulty 2/5 · StandardQuestions & methodsArgumentation
Amylase meets filter paper
Topic: Carbohydrates & lipids
A student tested whether human salivary amylase can digest cellulose. She incubated starch suspension or finely shredded filter paper (almost pure cellulose) with different enzymes at 37 °C and pH 7 for 30 minutes, then measured the reducing sugar released with a Benedict's-based assay. The cellulase came from a wood-rotting fungus.
Experimental setup
- Question
- Can amylase hydrolyse cellulose as well as starch?
- Independent variable
- Substrate and enzyme in each tube
- Dependent variable
- Reducing sugar released after 30 minutes (mg/mL)
- Kept constant
- Temperature (37 °C) · pH 7 · Time (30 min) · Mass of substrate · Volume of enzyme solution
- Groups
- Tube 1: Starch + amylase
- Tube 2: Starch + boiled amylase
- Tube 3: Filter paper + amylase
- Tube 4: Filter paper + fungal cellulase
Data
| Tube | Substrate | Enzyme | Reducing sugar (mg/mL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starch | Amylase | 4.2 |
| 2 | Starch | Boiled amylase | 0.1 |
| 3 | Filter paper | Amylase | 0.1 |
| 4 | Filter paper | Cellulase | 1.6 |
Which conclusion best explains the results of tubes 1, 3 and 4?
Answer every part to submit.