What is invertase?
- An enzyme that transforms glucose into honey.
- An enzyme found only in bees to produce honey.
- A very common enzyme that splits a disaccharide into two monosaccharides.
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Correct answer: 3 (A very common enzyme that splits a disaccharide into two monosaccharides.)
Invertase is an enzyme (protein) that splits sucrose (a disaccharide) into two monosaccharides (simple sugars: glucose and fructose).
This extremely common enzyme belongs to a family of molecules whose roles are as diverse as the breakdown of complex carbohydrates (cellulose and hemicellulose), antibacterial defence mechanisms (e.g. lysozyme), pathogenicity (e.g. viral neuraminidases) or cellular metabolism (amylases or the glycogen debranching enzyme involved in energy metabolism).
In humans, this enzyme is found in the small intestine and makes it possible to “split” beet sugar (non-assimilable sucrose) into two basic sugars (glucose and fructose) that can be absorbed by the body’s cells.
In bees, invertase enables the transformation of nectar, which is composed of complex sugars, into honey, which consists of glucose and fructose. Nectar is the sap secreted by plant nectaries. Nectaries are nutritive organs that can be located in different parts of a plant, floral or extra-floral. They consist of a gland that secretes the sap in varying amounts, thereby attracting pollinators.
To produce glucose and fructose industrially, chemists use invertase extracted from yeasts, which are organisms that are very easy to cultivate.
To explore further:
► Principles of feeding honey bees