Hydrolysis of polypeptides into peptides.Hydrolysis of gelatin into polypeptides.The gelatin-digesting microorganisms carry the amino acids away from the cell membrane for cell development and other metabolic activities. Gelatin degrading bacteria will cause sequential hydrolysis of gelatin into amino acids. The gelatin hydrolysis test is based on whether the organisms can digest gelatin as a sole source of protein by the gelatinase enzyme or not. In humans, the stomach produces the gelatinase enzyme, but it is less acidic than the digestive enzyme ‘Pepsin’. Eukaryotic organisms like humans usually contain a kind of matrix-zinc dependent metalloproteases (MMPs) like MMP -2 and MMP-9. The late log and early stationary phase of the bacteria actively produce the gelatinase enzyme. Some prokaryotic organisms like bacteria contain gelatinase enzymes in their extracellular space. It catalyzes the degradation of a protein compound gelatin into its sub-compounds like polypeptides, peptides and amino acids. Gelatinase belongs to the group of Proteases and is a kind of proteolytic enzyme. Therefore, one can easily distinguish between the gelatin hydrolysing and non-hydrolysing bacteria by merely observing the liquefaction of gelatin media. Once the gelatin breaks down, then it cannot resolidify even on refrigeration. It is the substituting agent in place of agar that forms a jelly-like complex on boiling with water. It dissolves in water at a temperature of 50 degrees C and remains solid at a temperature above 25 degrees C and liquid at a temperature below 25 degrees C. Robert Koch was the first scientist who used gelatin nutrient media for the growth of microorganisms. Gelatin has broad applicability as a solidifying agent. It forms after boiling the ligaments, bones, tendons of animals with water. Gelatin is a compound derived from the source of animal protein or collagen. The bacterial cells take up the amino acid products as the amino acids are easily diffusible through the cell membrane. Gelatinase enzyme belongs to the group of proteases that break down the gelatin into amino acids. Gelatin acts as a carbon and energy source for the microorganisms that are capable of hydrolysing it. Gelatin hydrolysis test is a kind of bacterial examination based on their ability to break down protein components ( Gelatin) into polypeptides and later into amino acids by releasing an extracellular gelatinase enzyme.
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