Question

Which of the following enzymes converts maltose to glucose?
A) Invertase
B) Zymase
C) Maltase
D) Diastase

Answer 1

The biological activities are catalyzed by enzymes. An enzyme-catalyzed the hydrolysis of carbohydrates, sugar, etc. into their simple forms. Maltose is a disaccharide. The enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis converts the maltose to glucose. The enzyme has the name accordingly to its function.

Complete Solution :
Maltase is an enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of the disaccharides.it converts the maltose sugar to the simple sugar that is glucose. The maltase enzyme is found in plants, bacteria, and yeast. During the process of digestion, the starch is partially transformed into maltose by the pancreatic or the salivary enzymes but maltase secreted by the intestines is responsible for the breakage of complex sugar into the simple sugar glucose.
- The obtained glucose is then utilized by the body for various energy requirements or stored in the liver as glycogen.
The reaction of the conversion or hydrolysis of maltose sugar into the glucose sugar is as shown below,
$\text{ }\underset{\begin{smallmatrix} \\\ (\text{Maltose)} \end{smallmatrix}}{\mathop{{{\text{C}}_{\text{12}}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{22}}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{11}}}}}\,\text{ }(aq)\text{ + }{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}}\text{O }(l)\text{ }\xrightarrow{\text{Maltase}}\text{2}\underset{\begin{smallmatrix} \\\ (\text{Glucose)} \end{smallmatrix}}{\mathop{{{\text{C}}_{6}}{{\text{H}}_{12}}{{\text{O}}_{6}}}}\,(aq)$
- Invertase is an enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of the breakdown of sucrose into fructose and glucose usually in the form of invert sugar. This enzyme is also known as the saccharase. The hydrolysis reaction of sucrose to give glucose and fructose is as shown below,
$\text{ }\underset{\begin{smallmatrix} \\\ (\text{Sucrose)} \end{smallmatrix}}{\mathop{{{\text{C}}_{\text{12}}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{22}}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{11}}}}}\,\text{ }(aq)\text{ + }{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}}\text{O }(l)\text{ }\xrightarrow{\text{Invertase}}\underset{\begin{smallmatrix} \\\ (\text{Glucose)} \end{smallmatrix}}{\mathop{{{\text{C}}_{6}}{{\text{H}}_{12}}{{\text{O}}_{6}}}}\,(aq)+\underset{\begin{smallmatrix} \\\ (\text{Fructose)} \end{smallmatrix}}{\mathop{{{\text{C}}_{6}}{{\text{H}}_{12}}{{\text{O}}_{6}}}}\,(aq)\text{ }$

- Zymase is an enzyme present in yeast and it catalyses the breakdown of sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It promotes the fermentation of glucose and some other carbohydrates into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The Zymase enzyme has a very wide application in the wine industry.
- A diastase is a group of enzymes which is found in malt and produced on the germination of seed. Diastase enzyme converts the starch into maltose and after it breaks down maltose into glucose.
Therefore, the maltase enzyme converts the maltose to glucose.
So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Note: Note that, in the human body the amylase enzyme initially breaks down the starch or carbohydrate into the simple disaccharide sugar that is maltose. Maltase secreted by the intestine then converts the maltose into simple sugar glucose. This glucose has a very significant role in providing energy for various mechanical actions.