Fermentation of Glucose

[frog1944]

Hi,

In the fermentation of glucose, is it correct that the yeast excrete the catalyst zymase which lowers the activation energy for the glucose-ethanol reaction? Or is the yeast which respire the glucose to produce ethanol? Or are these the same?
(I'm a chemistry student and not a biology student, and thus the technicalities of the micro-organisms I don't know)

Thanks

[jakesilove]

Hi,

In the fermentation of glucose, is it correct that the yeast excrete the catalyst zymase which lowers the activation energy for the glucose-ethanol reaction? Or is the yeast which respire the glucose to produce ethanol? Or are these the same?
(I'm a chemistry student and not a biology student, and thus the technicalities of the micro-organisms I don't know)

Thanks

Hey! At the end of the day, we are Chemists, not Biologists, so this doesn't really matter. What you need to be able to say is that the yeast acts as a catalyst, by fermenting the Glucose into Ethanol and Carbon dioxide in anaerobic conditions. Beyond that, you're definitely moving outside the curriculum!