2006-09-26 13:56:13 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Enzymes are specific in the reactions that they catalyze.
If one hydrolyzes egg white, it is working on the peptide bonds of a protein (albumin). This is a protease. The only action it will catalyze is the hydrolysis of peptide bonds.
Starch is a complex carbohydrate. It contains no peptide bonds to be hydrolyzed. An example of an enzyme that will catalyze starch (into glucose units) is amylase. Amylases will only hydrolyze carbohydrate bonds and no others.
2006-09-26 14:06:34 · answer #1 · answered by Richard 7 · 68⤊ 0⤋
Egg white consists largely of protein and so would be susceptible to degradation by a protease, which would be completely ineffective on starch, a complex carbohydrate.
2006-09-26 21:04:31 · answer #2 · answered by Gene Guy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That would show it is a protease and not an amylase. Enzymes are specific in their actions.
2006-09-26 21:02:08 · answer #3 · answered by Hermit 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋