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Question : 94 of 100
Marks:
+1,
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Solution:
- Cellulose:
- The major component in the rigid cell walls in plants is cellulose.
- Cellulose is a linear polysaccharide polymer with many glucose monosaccharide units.
- The acetal linkage is beta which makes it different from starch.
- This peculiar difference in acetal linkages results in a major difference in digestibility in humans.
- Humans are unable to digest cellulose because the appropriate enzymes to breakdown the beta acetal linkages are lacking.
- Undigestible cellulose is the fiber which aids in the smooth working of the intestinal tract.
- Animals such as cows, horses, sheep, goats, and termites have symbiotic bacteria in the intestinal tract.
- These symbiotic bacteria possess the necessary enzymes to digest cellulose in the GI tract.
- They have the required enzymes for the breakdown or hydrolysis of the cellulose; the animals do not, not even termites, have the correct enzymes.
- No vertebrate can digest cellulose directly.
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