Which term describes a non-microbial mechanism of cellular decomposition?

Which term describes a non-microbial mechanism of cellular decomposition?

• A. Autolysis
• B. Fermentation
• C. Putrefaction
• D. Saccharolysis

Answer: (A)

Autolysis is the self-digestion of tissue driven by the cell’s own enzymes. When cells are damaged or die, lysosomes release hydrolytic enzymes into the cytoplasm, breaking down cellular components from within. This process does not require microbes, so it’s a non-microbial mechanism of decomposition. In contrast, fermentation involves microbial metabolism to break down substrates, usually sugars, under anaerobic conditions; putrefaction is bacterial decomposition that often produces foul odors and gases; saccharolysis refers to the breakdown of carbohydrates by enzymes, which is not the general process describing how cellular structures degrade after death.

Autolysis is the self-digestion of tissue driven by the cell’s own enzymes. When cells are damaged or die, lysosomes release hydrolytic enzymes into the cytoplasm, breaking down cellular components from within. This process does not require microbes, so it’s a non-microbial mechanism of decomposition.

In contrast, fermentation involves microbial metabolism to break down substrates, usually sugars, under anaerobic conditions; putrefaction is bacterial decomposition that often produces foul odors and gases; saccharolysis refers to the breakdown of carbohydrates by enzymes, which is not the general process describing how cellular structures degrade after death.