Please note that spelling matters on this question.What is the name of the specific enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of starch into sugars in the mouth?

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The question asks for the name of the specific enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of starch into sugars in the mouth, and it emphasizes correct spelling.

In the oral cavity, the enzyme responsible for starch digestion is salivary amylase. This enzyme cleaves α-1,4-glycosidic bonds in starch to produce maltose and dextrins, initiating carbohydrate digestion before the bolus reaches the stomach.

A few related points to avoid confusion:
- The enzyme is produced by the salivary glands and becomes active in saliva, hence the name salivary amylase.
- It is also commonly referred to as amylase, but the precise descriptor for mouth-originating activity is salivary amylase; pancreatic amylase functions later in the small intestine.
- Spelling matters here: ensure it is written as "salivary amylase" with a space between the two words and no misspellings that could refer to other enzymes.

If you had to consider common distractors, you might encounter generic terms like just "amylase" or misnames such as "ptyalin". While ptyalin is an historical name for salivary amylase, the standard modern terminology used in exams is salivary amylase.

Therefore, the correct spelling and term to report here is salivary amylase.

BIO 181 (001&002) FALL 2025 FA25: Cumulative Exam 4 covers the most important content from Units 1-4: You can do this!!! : ) [Grade is out of 150/900 pts, the same am't of pts for the active learning "easy points" classwork.]

Please note that spelling matters on this question.What is the name of the specific enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of starch into sugars in the mouth?

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