Question

If you take protein in your food, how does it get digested in the body? Explain.

Answer 1

• The protein molecules are present in the food in the form of large globular molecules. The breakdown of proteins starts in the mouth where they are converted to straight chains. In the stomach, there is enzyme pepsin which is formed from pepsinogen with the help of HCl.
• This enzyme is called as the proteolytic enzyme. The enzyme acts on the peptide bonds and the proteins are converted to the peptides. These peptides are acted upon by the enzymes called trypsin and chymotrypsin which form the smaller peptides.
• These are the pancreatic enzymes that are released in the small intestine. In the large intestine, there are enzymes like carboxypeptidase and other peptidases that break the peptides into amino acids.
• These amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the cells of the body.