Multiple glycosidases are required to fully utilize a _______ and break down individual carbohydrates down to the ________ core.

• A. Glycan; Core
• B. Glycine; Protein
• C. Glycoprotein; Protein core
• D. Monosaccharide; Glycan

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that complex carbohydrates (glycans) require multiple glycosidases because each enzyme targets a specific sugar linkage, allowing stepwise removal of sugars until only the central scaffold remains. A glycan is a carbohydrate polymer, and the final product after complete enzymatic digestion is the glycan’s core structure—the minimal central framework that holds the glycan together. That’s why the best fit is a glycan, broken down to its core. The other options don’t fit because glycine is an amino acid, proteins are not the carbohydrate core being referenced, a glycoprotein is a protein with attached sugars rather than the substrate being degraded, and a monosaccharide is a single sugar rather than the larger substrate whose core is being reached.