AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The type of glucose polymer that can be digested by ruminants such as cows but not humans is cellulose. Cellulose is a polysaccharide that makes 30% of the plant cell wall. It helps in connecting cells to form tissues and signals the cells to grow and divide. Humans cannot digest cellulose.

Detailed explanation-2: -There are some animals, such as cows, goats and sheeps which graze grass that have symbiotic bacteria in their abdomen which can digest cellulose. Humans do not have these bacteria nor cellulase, the enzyme needed to break the bonds of cellulose whereas the bacteria in a cow’s gut does produce cellulase.

Detailed explanation-3: -Solution 7: Cellulose (a type of carbohydrate) can be digested by ruminants but not by humans because ruminants have a large sac-like structure called rumen between the oesophagus and the small intestine.

Detailed explanation-4: -Why can’t humans digest cellulose? Humans cannot digest cellulose because they lack the enzymes essential for breaking the beta-acetyl linkages. The undigested cellulose acts as fibre that aids in the functioning of the intestinal tract.

Detailed explanation-5: -Cattle can digest cellulose because they have cellulose-digesting bacteria called ruminococcus in the rumen. These bacteria produce an enzyme called cellulase that can breakdown cellulose to glucose.