Question

Hydrochloric acid facilitates the action of which of the following enzymes?
A)Salivary amylase
B)Pepsin
C)Trypsin
D)Lipase

Answer 1

Hint: This enzyme breaks down the proteins into smaller peptides. So, it is an endopeptidase. It is found in the gastric juice and they are a very strong enzyme that helps in digesting the protein present in meat, eggs, seeds, or dairy products. This enzyme is the active form of the zymogen.

Complete answer:
Pepsin is one of the important digestive enzymes produced in the chief cells of the stomach lining found in the digestive systems of the human and also in many other animals.
-Pepsin helps in digesting the proteins present in the food.
Hydrochloric acid - is formed during the process of digestion and it is a type of digestive fluid. Hydrochloric acid helps in killing the harmful microorganisms present in our food particles.
-It also plays a very important role in the process of digestion-
1) It makes the gastric juice acidic so that the pepsin enzyme can digest the proteins present in the food particles and kill the harmful bacteria present in them.
2) It also helps our body to absorb nutrients such as proteins and helps in the digestion of the food.
3) This acid is found in the stomach helps in the process of digestion by breaking down the complex large food particles into simple particles.
4) It also activates the pepsinogen enzyme which is required in the digestion of protein.

Additional Information: -Salivary amylase - this enzyme is found in the saliva helps in the breakdown of the carbohydrates such as sugar into smaller molecules, so that the body can easily digest starchy foods like potatoes, rice, etc.
-Trypsin- this enzyme also helps in digesting the protein. It is found in the small intestine where they break down the proteins helps in the process of digestion that begins in the stomach.
 -Lipase - this enzyme breaks down the triglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol. This enzyme is responsible for the digestion of the fat
So, the correct answer is,” Pepsin”.

Note: -The principal proteolytic enzyme of the vertebrate gastric juice is pepsin.
-Pepsin helps in digesting the proteins found in the ingested food. Therefore, it is a stomach enzyme found in the gastric chief cells. The cell secretes pepsin as an inactive zymogen called pepsinogen.