Enzyme question

So a question in my biology exam was that the enzyme Amylase (AMY1) has multiple copies. We had to use our knowledge of protein synthesis and enzyme action to explain the advantage of this for starch digestion. This was 3 marks.

Could 1 mark be for saying that more enzymes are produced because a greater variety of genes indicates that a greater number of enzymes are produced?

Thanks everyone!

How about thinking about the importance of the enzyme to normal functioning - without amylase, you'd not be able to digest the major food group in the diet.

So what other benefit does having multiple copies of this enzyme have? Think about the genetics of it...

Yeah, its likely that more enzymes are produced, which could lead to a greater rate of starch breakdown. Best to explain this as "it makes enzyme concentration less likely to be a limiting factor" in the breakdown, so that way you are explaining in terms of enzyme action.

Other possibilities:
*Multiple copies suggests variants-these variant enzymes may digest different parts of the amylase structure, hence improving digestion
*The digestive system has a dynamic pH-its high in the mouth (around 7), low in the stomach (around 2 at least) and high again in the intestines (around 7 again). You probably want different amylases to operate in those different pH's, in which case you will likely need multiple variant gene copies, or alternative splicing of those genes, something like that. For the record, no amylases act in the stomach, but salivary amylase and intestinal amylase operate at slightly different pH's.

Do you think I'd still get 1 mark? Thanks so much for the response!

Depends, what was your answer exactly?

I'm pretty sure I elaborated but all I can remember writing was that a greater number of copies of AMY1 leads to the production of a greater concentration of amylase. Would I at least get a mark for this? I can't remember what else I wrote... Thanks so much!