7 Critical Difference between Amylase and Amylose

What is the difference between amylase and amylose?

Starch is stored in plants as carbohydrates. It is classified as a polysaccharide since it comprises of single units joined by glycosidic bonds. Starch is made up of amylose and amylopectin.

The lesson provides a detailed insight into the difference between amylase and amylose with a comparison table. Besides that, you will learn more about the similarities between amylase and amylose.

Difference between Amylase and Amylose

What Is Amylase?

Amylase is an enzyme that speeds up the hydrolysis of starch. The hydrolysis of starch involves the breakdown of starch into smaller units.

The enzyme is commonly found in the saliva and it is responsible for breaking down the alpha-1, 4-glycosidic bonds into smaller units.

Characteristics of Amylase

Tend to be protein in nature

Made up of a number of amino acids

Has a tertiary protein structure

Molecules are joined by hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic bonds, disulfide bonds, ionic bonds, and Van Der Waal bonds

Classified into alpha, beta, and gamma amylase

What Is Amylose?

Amylose is a carbohydrate comprise of several molecules of molecules joined by 1, 4-glycosidic bonds. It is among the major components of starch. The molecules are made out of alpha-D-glucose.

The polysaccharide occurs in a linear chain of glucose and the number of glucose units tends to vary from 300 to thousands. The chemical bond between carbon-1 and carbon-4 of glucose molecules is responsible for the linear chain.

The polysaccharide is not soluble in cold water but can be hydrolyzed into maltose by the enzyme amylase. The process happens during starch hydrolysis reaction.

Characteristics of Amylose

The main source of energy

Stored in the form of carbohydrate

Has a linear structure

Act as a thickener, water binder, emulsion stabilizer, and a jelling agent.

Insoluble in cold water

Comparison Chart: Amylase Vs Amylose

Basic Terms	Amylase	Amylose
Meaning	It is an enzyme that speeds up the hydrolysis of starch	It is a carbohydrate that comprises of several units of glucose linked by 1, 4-glycosidic bonds.
Group	Protein	Carbohydrate
Structure	It has a tertiary structure of the protein.	It has a linear straight chain structure.
Monomers	Made out of amino acids	Made out of glucose molecules
Role in Biological Systems	Hydrolysis of starch	Storage of carbohydrates in plants
Location	Saliva and pancreatic secretions	Starch in plants
Glycosidic Linkages	alpha-1, 4-glycosidic bonds	1, 4-glycosidic bonds
Energy Content	No storage of energy	Storage of high amount of energy
Reaction with Cold Water	No reaction	Insoluble

Core Difference between Amylase and Amylose

Amylase is an enzyme responsible for catalyzing the hydrolysis of starch while amylose is a starch stored as carbohydrates in plants

Amylase has a tertiary structure while amylose has a linear chain structure

Amylase is a protein in nature while amylose are carbohydrates

Amylase is made out of amino acids whereas amylose are made out of glucose units

Amylase is responsible for the hydrolysis of starch while amylose for storage of carbohydrates in plants

Amylose is found in the starch of plants whereas amylase from saliva and pancreatic secretions

The glycosidic link in amylase is alpha-1, 4-glycosidic bonds while that of amylose is 1, 4-glycosidic bonds.

Amylose is the greatest source of energy unlike amylase

Amylose is insoluble in cold water while amylase is soluble

Amylose give a dark blue color in iodine test while amylase gives a reddish-brown color

Comparison Video

Summary

The core difference between amylase and amylose is that amylase is enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis of starch while amylose is starch stored in plants as carbohydrates.

ncG1vNJzZmibn6eypbXFn5yrnZ6YsrR6wqikaJyZm7OmvsSnmp5lkprBuLHEp2SapamhrrSxjJqlnWWRosatu9KeZg%3D%3D