Final answer:
Amylase is the exoenzyme that breaks down starch into maltose as part of the carbohydrate digestion process, with further digestion into glucose molecules completed by maltase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The exoenzyme that breaks down starch into maltose is amylase. In the process of carbohydrate digestion, starch, a polysaccharide, is first broken down into smaller fragments by enzymes, with amylase playing a significant role. Amylase, found in saliva and also secreted by the pancreas, begins the process of digestion in the mouth by breaking down complex carbohydrates or polysaccharides, like starch, into smaller oligosaccharides.
As the food mixture reaches the small intestine, pancreatic amylase continues the digestion process by breaking down these oligosaccharides further into disaccharides like maltose. This digestion process is performed by several enzymes, targeting different types of carbs. For example, the brush border enzymes sucrase, lactase, and maltase act on sucrose, lactose, and maltose, respectively.
It's important to note that while amylase breaks down starch into maltose, it's actually maltase that breaks down maltose into two glucose molecules, thereby completing the process of carbohydrate digestion.
Learn more about amylase and maltase in digestion