Cows and rabbits produce the enzymes necessary for the breakdown on cellulose. True False
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Why can cows use cellulose as a food source while you can't? a. Cows produce the enzymes that can break $\alpha-1 \rightarrow 4$ linkages. b. Cows have symbiotic microbes in their digestive system that can break bonds between glucose monomers in cellulose. c. Cows have excess starch-digesting enzymes in their saliva. d. Cows' broad teeth allow them to mechanically break apart the cellulose.
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Practice Performance Task: Cellulase Both humans and cows are able to consume plant matter made up of complex carbohydrates, such as starch or cellulose. However, a cow's digestive system is very different from that of a human. As a result, humans and cows differ in their ability to extract nutrients from plant-based food resources. For example, unlike humans, cows can thrive on grass, which is largely made up of cellulose. Cows are able to digest grass thanks to a complex community of microbes, including bacteria, in their digestive system. These bacteria produce cellulase, which starts the process of breaking down cellulose into smaller subunits of glucose. Cows then acquire energy as the microbes in their digestive system utilize the glucose to carry out fermentation. A by-product of fermentation by bacteria is methane gas (CH4). 1. A student is working on drawing and labeling a very basic model showing how cellulose is broken down. The student's work on the model so far is shown below. Based on the passage above, revise the student's model so that it is correct and complete. Be sure to clearly identify all your revisions to the model.
Jenny W.
Cows can derive nutrients from cellulose because a. they produce enzymes that recognize the shape of the glucose-glucose bonds and hydrolyze them. b. they re-chew their cud to break down cellulose fibers. c. their digestive tract contains microorganisms that can hydrolyze the bonds of cellulose. d. they convert cellulose to starch and can digest starch.
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