If both amylase and cellulase are present with their respective substrates, what is the expected outcome?

• A. Only amylase digests starch
• B. Only cellulase digests cellulose
• C. Both substrates are digested
• D. No digestion occurs

Answer: (C)

When enzymes meet their specific substrates, they speed up the chemical reactions that break those substrates into smaller sugars. Amylase acts on starch, cleaving its glycosidic bonds to produce smaller sugars like maltose and dextrins. Cellulase acts on cellulose, breaking its bonds to yield glucose or smaller oligosaccharides. If both enzymes are present with their respective substrates, each enzyme will catalyze its own reaction independently, so starch will be digested and cellulose will be digested at the same time. That’s why the expected outcome is digestion of both substrates.