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Multiple Choice
Which of the following enzymes are required for glycogen degradation in humans?
A
Glycogen phosphorylase and debranching enzyme
B
Hexokinase and phosphofructokinase-1
C
Phosphoglucomutase and glucose-6-phosphatase only
D
Glycogen synthase and branching enzyme
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the process of glycogen degradation in humans. Glycogen degradation involves breaking down glycogen into glucose-1-phosphate and free glucose molecules to provide energy. This process requires specific enzymes.
Step 2: Identify the key enzymes involved in glycogen degradation. Glycogen phosphorylase is responsible for cleaving α-1,4 glycosidic bonds in glycogen to release glucose-1-phosphate. Debranching enzyme is required to handle α-1,6 glycosidic bonds at branch points in glycogen.
Step 3: Eliminate options that are not relevant to glycogen degradation. For example, hexokinase and phosphofructokinase-1 are involved in glycolysis, not glycogen degradation. Similarly, glycogen synthase and branching enzyme are involved in glycogen synthesis, not degradation.
Step 4: Consider the role of phosphoglucomutase and glucose-6-phosphatase. Phosphoglucomutase converts glucose-1-phosphate to glucose-6-phosphate, which can enter glycolysis or be converted to free glucose by glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver. However, these enzymes are downstream of glycogen degradation and not directly involved in breaking down glycogen.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct enzymes required for glycogen degradation are glycogen phosphorylase and debranching enzyme, as they directly participate in breaking down glycogen into usable forms of glucose.