Question

Based on the information given about capsules, which of the following types of molecules would you suspect comprises an S. pneumoniae capsule? 1. monosaccharide carbohydrate 2. triglyceride lipid 3. polysaccharide carbohydrate 4. disaccharide carbohydrate 5. adenosine triphosphate

Answer 1

"Polysaccharide carbohydrate" comprises an S. pneumoniae capsule.

Option: C

Explanation:

The lengthy sequences of carbohydrate molecules, primarily polymeric carbohydrates constructed of units of monosaccharides linked together through glycosidic connections, understood as Polysaccharides. This carbohydrate can respond to water by catalyzing amylase enzymes, which generate component sugars.

A major human pathogen is Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus. The virulence is primarily due to its polysaccharide envelope, which protects it from the recipient immune response, and this has led to comprehensive study of the shell.