Hello SFN,
I am stumped on this question:
Can gelatin hydrolysis be important to microorganisms even if they are not pathogenic? Explain. Where in nature might you find such microbes?
I understand that gelatin hydrolysis is progressed via enzyme gelatinase. But outside of human or animal, I don't see any other functions of hydrolysizing gelatin or the function of gelatinase in a natural environment.
I went into further exploration and found that some microbes that posses the gene for gelatinase live in fresh water or soil environments. Gelatin is found within these environments? Is that the simple answer?
Thanks in advance for the responses.