Question

what are exoenzymes and why are they important in bacterial metabolism? Supply a specific example.

Answer 1

What are exoenzymes and why are they important in bacterial metabolism? Supply a specific example.

Exoenzyme are enzymes secreted out by bacteria. The metabolic activity of the bacterial exoenzymes aids them in invading the host by breaking down the host cell'sdefensive outer layers or by necrotizing body tissues of larger organisms.These exoenzymes are used as the virulence factors which is used as the primary mechanism to cause disease. The gram-negative bacteria uses injectisomes or flagella-like projections to directly deliver the virulent exoenzyme into the host cell. Exoenzymes secreted by microorganisms helps to make better use of nutrient medium with the action of simple hydrolytic enzymes proteases, amylases, pectinases.

Necrotizing enzymes:

Exoenzymes produced by Streptococcus pyogenes is necrotizing enzymes that causes necrotizing fasciitis in humans.

Hyaluronidase:

Bacteria such as clostridium uses hyaluronidase to penetrate deep into tissues as similar to collagenase. It acts by dissolving  collagen and hyaluronic acid, the protein and saccharides, respectively which hold tissues together.