A Novel Method for the Action Patterns and the Differentiation of α-1,4-Glucan Hydrolases

An map procedure is described for the identification of the products of action of hydrolases on malto-oligosaccharides and for the differentiation of α-1,4-glucan hydrolases. The method involves chromatography of malto-oligosaccharides-1-14C in one direction on paper, incubation of the oligosaccharides with the hydrolase after spraying the enzyme directly on the chromatogram, separation of the hydrolytic products by chromatography in a second direction, and location of the radioactive hydrolytic products by autoradiography. Characteristic oligosaccharide maps are recorded for the hydrolases from Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus delemar, saliva, and sweet potato. A new enzyme, α-1,4-glucan:α-1,4-glucan 4-maltosyltransferase, has been detected by the use of the technique with enzyme preparations from B. subtilis and R. delemar.