Starch

Definition

Starch is a polysaccharide carbohydrate composed of glucose monomers. It serves as a storage form of energy in plants and can be broken down by microbes.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Starch consists of two types of molecules: amylose and amylopectin.
2. Microbial amylases are enzymes that break down starch into simpler sugars.
3. In microbiology, starch hydrolysis is often tested using the iodine test, where iodine binds to starch to give a blue-black color.
4. Certain bacteria, like Bacillus subtilis, produce enzymes to degrade starch.
5. Starch degradation products can be utilized by microbes for growth and energy.

Review Questions

• What are the two main components of starch?
• How do microbes break down starch?
• Which enzyme is commonly involved in the microbial hydrolysis of starch?

Related terms

Amylose:

A linear polymer of glucose units found in starch.

Amylopectin:

A branched polymer of glucose units found in starch.

Amylase:

An enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of starch into sugars.