Peroxisomes protect the cell because they contain the enzyme catalase, which
- A. digests worn out organelles
- B. synthesises hydrogen peroxide for defence
- C. adds sugar groups to newly made proteins
- D. breaks down toxic hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen
Explanation
Hydrogen peroxide is a damaging by product of several oxidation reactions, and catalase destroys it almost as fast as it forms, making it one of the fastest enzymes known. Peroxisomes are also active in the oxidation of fatty acids and, in liver cells, in detoxifying alcohol. Digestion of worn out organelles is the work of lysosomes, which is the usual confusion.
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