In industrial cheese manufacture, the enzymatic coagulation of milk is catalyzed by adding chymosin (rennet), which specifically cleaves:
Options:
(A) The Phe(105)-Met(106) peptide bond of $\kappa$-casein, destroying steric hair-like stabilization and causing micellar aggregation
(B) Lactose into glucose and galactose
(C) Triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids
(D) Whey albumin into peptides
Answer Key:
A
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
Chymosin specifically hydrolyzes the Phe105-Met106 bond of $\kappa$-casein, releasing the hydrophilic glycomacropeptide (GMP) and causing hydrophobic micelles to flocculate into curd.