Question

What is it about lysosomes that initially deactivates most ingested bacteria?

1) low pH
2) high pH
3) neutral pH
4) lysosomal carbohydrate content
5) lysosomal lipid content

Answer 1

Lysosomes deactivate ingested bacteria through their low pH environment, which activates the acid hydrolases inside to destroy the pathogens.

Step-by-step explanation:

The feature of lysosomes that initially deactivates most ingested bacteria is their low pH. Lysosomes contain acid hydrolases, enzymes that are optimally active in an acidic environment, specifically at a pH of around 4.5. These enzymes become active when they are in the acidic interior of a lysosome, where proton pumps in the lysosome membrane lower the pH by pumping hydrogen ions into the lumen. This mechanism ensures that the enzymes are safely made and transported through the endomembrane system in an inactive state, only becoming active within the lysosome to destroy pathogens such as bacteria through a process called phagocytosis.