Paper 2 · Specimen 2018 · Biology
Name the enzyme in human saliva and pancreatic juice that catalyses the digestion of starch into maltose.
Model answer
amylase
Also accepted: salivary amylase, ptyalin, pancreatic amylase
Explanation
Amylase is the starch splitting enzyme. Salivary amylase, also called ptyalin, starts the job in the mouth and pancreatic amylase finishes it in the small intestine, breaking the long starch chains into the sugar maltose.
Derived from ZIMSEC Combined Science 4003/2, Specimen Paper, Q1(a)(i)