Problem: This bacteria produces the enzyme in order to access the chemical energy found in starch molecules. Which of the following best describes the mechanism by which the enzyme works?
a. The enzyme hydrolyzes the covalent bonds in starch. This releases free glucose molecules that the bacteria can absorb and use for ATP production.
b. The enzyme makes the bacteria's membrane more permeable to starch. This enables starch to pass directly into the bacteria's cytoplasm.
c. The enzyme produces ATP from starch outside the bacteria. The bacteria can then absorb ATP into its cytoplasm and use it to perform cellular work.
d. The enzyme converts hydrophilic starch into fatty acids. Fatty acids are hydrophobic and small enough to pass into the bacteria's cytoplasm directly through the phospholipid bilayer.