Acid alpha-glucosidase from human heart

An alpha-glucosidase maximally active at acid pH has been purified from human heart some 2,600-fold and its properties compared to a purified alpha-glucosidase from human liver. Molecular weight was evaluated using three different analytical procedures. The effect of various cations was determined. Thermal lability was evaluated using three different substrates. Affinity and hydrolysis velocity constants for maltose, glycogen and 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-glucose were determined for both preparations at optimal hydrogen ion concentration. Inhibition studies were carried out using the disaccharide turanose. From this study, we conclude there are no significant differences in molecular weight or kinetic properties between the cardiac and hepatic alpha-glucosidase enzymes.     

Synthesis and intracellular localization of chick acid alpha-glucosidase in chick erythrocyte-human fibroblast heterokaryons. A model system for the study of lysosomal enzyme synthesis

The synthesis and localization of chick acid alpha-glucosidase has been studied in chick erythrocyte-human fibroblast heterokaryons. Monospecific antibodies raised against purified chick liver acid alpha-glucosidase were used. It was found that the acid alpha-glucosidase in the heterokaryons is of chick origin, and is localized in the same lysosomes as the human lysosomal enzymes. It is concluded that chick erythrocyte-human fibroblast heterokaryons provide a useful model system for the study of lysosomal enzyme synthesis and routing.     

Use of immobilized antibodies in investigating acid alpha-glucosidase in urine in relation to Pompe's disease.

(1) A simple method is described for the isolation of the lysosomal enzyme, acid alpha-glucosidase (alpha-D-glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.20) from normal human liver. Antibodies raised against the purified enzyme were immobilized by covalent coupling to Sepharose 4B. (2) Acid alpha-glucosidase can be quantitatively removed from normal urine by incubating with an excess of immobilized antibody. With p-nitrophenyl-alpha-glucoside as substrate, acid alpha-glucosidase accounts for 91 +/- 3% of the total alpha-glucosidase activity at pH 4.0 IN Normal urine. (3) In urine from a patient with the infantile form of Pompe's disease ('acid maltase deficiency'), no alpha-glucosidase activity could be removed by the immobilized antibody, in agreement with the fact that acid alpha-glucosidase is absent in these patients. (4) In urine from patients with the late-onset form of Pompe's disease, 46 +/- 11% of the alpha-glucosidase activity at pH 4.0 can be removed by incubation with immobilized antibodies, indicating that residual acid alpha-glucosidase activity is present in urine of these patients. The residual acid alpha-glucosidase activity amounts to about 5% of that in the urine of control persons. (5) If acid alpha-glucosidase is adsorbed to immobilized antibodies, the activity can still be measured with p-nitrophenyl-alpha-glucoside as substrate. The Km for p-nitrophenyl-alpha-glucoside is not significantly changed by adsorbing purified acid alpha-glucosidase to immobilized antibodies. (6) The properties of acid alpha-glucosidase from urine of patients with late-onset Pompe's disease were compared with those of acid alpha-glucosidase from normal urine, both adsorbed to immobilized antiserum. The pH-activity profile of the enzyme from urine of patients with late-onset Pompe's disease can not be distinguished from that of the normal urinary enzyme. The Km for p-nitro-phenyl-alpha-glucoside of the two enzymes is identical, both at pH 4 and 3. The titration curves of the two enzymes with immobilized antibodies are identical.     

Glucoamylase from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum: Sequence studies and analysis of the macromolecular architecture of the enzyme

A chromosomal DNA fragment with a length of 2,025 bp, carrying the structural gene coding for glucoamylase in Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum, was cloned and sequenced. It coded for 695 amino acids, representing a polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 77.5 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited high homologies with the glucoamylase sequence of another bacterial glucoamylase (Clostridium sp. G0005) and with fungal glucoamylases. The catalytic domain (amino acids 271 to 695) of the T. thermosaccharolyticum enzyme shared a high degree of similarity (five conserved regions) with the catalytic domain of Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase. By comparing the secondary structure of the sequence of the catalytic domain of the T. thermosaccharolyticum enzyme with that of glucoamylase from A. awamori, and on the basis of X-ray crystallographic data available for the A. awamori enzyme, it turned out that, most probably, both enzymes have a catalytic domain organized into an "(alpha/alpha)(6)-barrel" and an overall size and shape that is very similar. These findings confirm and extend our working model for the macromolecular architecture of the T. thermosaccharolyticum glucoamylase obtained, in earlier experiments, by electron microscopy of negatively stained isolated enzyme molecules. Antibodies for an enzyme-specific peptide located near the active site were successfully applied for inhibition studies of enzyme activity and for electron microscopic epitope mapping. A study comparing the site of attachment of this kind of antibody to the T. thermosaccharolyticum glucoamylase molecule with the expected attachment site as deduced from the A. awamori enzyme structure confirmed the close similarity of both glucoamylases regarding the macromolecular architecture of that part of the enzyme carrying the catalytic center, though helices H9, H10, and H11 in peripheral parts of the A. awamori enzyme are missing in the T. thermosaccharolyticum enzyme.     

Some properties of human liver acid alpha-glucosidase.

1. Albumin activates human liver acid alpha-glucosidase (alpha-D-glucoside hydrolase, EC 3.2.1.20). From the Arrhenius plot, pH-dependence and Lineweaver-Burk plots it can be concluded that this activation is not only due to stabilisation of the enzyme, but also influences the enzymatic activity. It is proposed that for optimal functioning human liver acid alpha-glucosidase needs a protein environment. 2. Glycogen has a competitive inhibitory effect on the hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, in contrast to maltose which exhibits a non-competitive type of inhibition. It is concluded that two catalytic sites exist, one for glycogen and one for maltose, while both sites influence each other. With glycogen as substrate a break in the Arrhenius plot is found. This is not the case when maltose is used as substrate. 3. The effect of antibody raised against human liver acid alpha-glucosidase on the activity of human liver acid alpha-glucosidase is studied. No corss-reacting material could be demonstrated in the liver of a patient with glycogen storage disease Type II (M. Pompe, acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency).     

Purification and characterization of cyclic maltosyl-(1-->6)-maltose hydrolase and alpha-glucosidase from an Arthrobacter globiformis strain

Cyclic maltosyl-maltose [CMM, cyclo-[-->6)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->4)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->4)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->]], a novel cyclic tetrasaccharide, has a unique structure. Its four glucose residues are joined by alternate alpha-1,4 and alpha-1,6 linkages. CMM is synthesized from starch by the action of 6-alpha-maltosyltransferase from Arthrobacter globiformis M6. Recently, we determined the mechanism of extracellular synthesis of CMM, but the degrading pathway of the saccharide remains unknown. Hence we tried to identify the enzymes involved in the degradation of CMM to glucose from the cell-free extract of the strain, and identified CMM hydrolase (CMMase) and alpha-glucosidase as the responsible enzymes. The molecular mass of CMMase was determined to be 48.6 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and 136 kDa by gel filtration column chromatography. The optimal pH and temperature for CMMase activity were 6.5 and 30 degrees C. The enzyme remained stable from pH 5.5 to 8.0 and up to 25 degrees C. CMMase hydrolyzed CMM to maltose via maltosyl-maltose as intermediates, but it did not hydrolyze CMM to glucose, suggesting that it is a novel hydrolase that hydrolyzes the alpha-1,6-linkage of CMM. The molecular mass of alpha-glucosidase was determined to be 60.1 kDa by SDS-PAGE and 69.5 kDa by gel filtration column chromatography. The optimal pH and temperature for alpha-glucosidase activity were 7.0 and 35 degrees C. The enzyme remained stable from pH 7.0 to 9.5 and up to 35 degrees C. alpha-Glucosidase degraded maltosyl-maltose to glucose via panose and maltose as intermediates, but it did not degrade CMM. Furthermore, when CMMase and alpha-glucosidase existed simultaneously in a reaction mixture containing CMM, glucose was detected as the final product. It was found that CMM was degraded to glucose by the synergistic action of CMMase and alpha-glucosidase.     

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity of Syzygium cumini (Linn.) Skeels seed kernel in vitro and in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats

Syzygium cumini seed kernel extracts were evaluated for the inhibition of alpha-glucosidase from mammalian (rat intestine), bacterial (Bacillus stearothermophilus), and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, baker's yeast). In vitro studies using the mammalian alpha-glucosidase from rat intestine showed the extracts to be more effective in inhibiting maltase when compared to the acarbose control. Since acarbose is inactive against both the bacterial and the yeast enzymes, the extracts were compared to 1-deoxynojirimycin. We found all extracts to be more potent against alpha-glucosidase derived from B. stearothermophilus than that against the enzymes from either baker's yeast or rat intestine. In an in vivo study using Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, the acetone extract was found to be a potent inhibitor of alpha-glucosidase hydrolysis of maltose when compared to untreated control animals. Therefore, these results point to the inhibition of alpha-glucosidase as a possible mechanism by which this herb acts as an anti-diabetic agent.     

A new factor from enteric bacteria of rats amplifying induction of liver enzyme by glucocorticoid. 1. Purification, properties and biological action.

1. A factor, which amplifies the inductions of several liver enzymes by glucocorticoid, was partially purified from Proteus mirabilis from rat intestine. The factor (amplifier) was completely inactivated by alpha-glucosidase, but not by other glycoside hydrolases, proteases, nucleases or phosphatases tested; it was also hydrolysed by HCl with liberation of reducing sugars. Thus the oligosaccharide in this factor seems to be essential for the amplification. 2. In adrenalectomized rats the amplifier increased the inductions of several liver enzymes, such as tyrosine aminotransferase and leucine aminotransferase, by glucocorticoid. But it did not amplify the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by glucagon or insulin or the activities of enzymes that are not induced by glucocorticoid. The amplifier by itself did not have any glucocorticoid-like action in adrenalectomized rat. These results show that the amplifier specifically increases the inductions of liver enzymes by glucocorticoid. 3. Since similar amplification was also observed in isolated perfused liver and cultured hepatoma cells in vitro, the amplifier seems to act directly on the target organ or cells.     

Inhibition of some hepatic lysosomal glycosidases by ethanolamines and phenyl 6-deoxy-6-(morpholin-4-yl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside.

The hepatic lysosomal glycosidases alpha-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase were inhibited in vitro and in vivo by mono- and diethanolamines. The in vivo inhibition is dose dependent and occurs at a value less than LD50. Phenyl 6-deoxy-6-(morpholin-4-yl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside inhibited alpha-glucosidase both in vitro and in vivo. The treatment of the enzymes in vitro by ethanolamine exhibited a reversible inhibition of the mixed and competitive types for alpha-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase, respectively. Diethanolamine showed a reversible inhibition of the competitive type for both enzymes. It is a potent inhibitor for beta-glucuronidase, in vitro, whose inhibition constant (Ki) is 5 x 10(-5) M. Phenyl 6-deoxy-6-(morpholin-4-yl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside is a potent inhibitor only for hepatic alpha-glucosidase with a Ki value of 1.6 x 10(-5) M. The pattern of the pH dependence of enzymic activity was not affected by ethanolamine inhibition. The magnitude of the inhibition of enzymes is dependent on the structure of the inhibitor.     

The subcellular localization of soluble and membrane-bound lysosomal enzymes in I-cell fibroblasts: a comparative immunocytochemical study

Using electron microscopic immunocytochemistry with gold probes, we have studied the localization of acid alpha-glucosidase, N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase and beta-glucocerebrosidase in cultured skin fibroblasts from control subjects and patients with mucolipidosis II (I-cell disease). In control fibroblasts, a random distribution of acid alpha-glucosidase and N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase within the lysosomes was observed, whereas beta-glucocerebrosidase was found to be localized on or near the lysosomal membrane. The observations confirm the soluble character of acid alpha-glucosidase and N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase and the membrane-bound character of beta-glucocerebrosidase. In I-cell fibroblasts an abnormal localization of the two soluble enzymes was found. Labeling in lysosomes was very weak, but instead, small 'presumptive' vesicles containing both enzymes were detected throughout the cytoplasm and close to the plasma membrane. These vesicles could be involved in the secretion of the two enzymes. In contrast, a normal membrane-bound lysosomal localization was observed for beta-glucocerebrosidase. It is concluded that the intracellular transport of beta-glucocerebrosidase to the lysosomes can occur even when the mannose-6-phosphate recognition system is defective. This explains the normal activity of beta-glucocerebrosidase in I-cells in contrast to the deficiency of most other lysosomal enzymes.     

Carbohydrates of lysosomal enzymes secreted by Tetrahymena pyriformis

The carbohydrate structures of acid phosphatase and alpha-glucosidase secreted into culture medium by Tetrahymena pyriformis strain W were studied. Their asparagine-linked sugar chains were quantitatively liberated as radioactive oligosaccharides from their polypeptide moieties by controlled hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation and NaB3H4 reduction. The approximate amounts of total sugar chains liberated from 1 mol each of acid phosphatase and alpha-glucosidase were 6 and 4 mol, respectively. Paper electrophoresis revealed that only neutral oligosaccharides were obtained from both enzymes. The oligosaccharide fraction from acid phosphatase was separated into seven components by Bio-Gel P-4 column chromatography while that from alpha-glucosidase was resolved into three components. The structures of these oligosaccharides were determined by sequential glycosidase digestion in combination with methylation analysis. The sugar chains of the two enzymes can be primarily classified as high mannose-type oligosaccharides. However, they have the following characteristic features: 1) their common core is not the usual Man5 . GlcNAc2 structure, it is Man3 . GlcNAc2; 2) some of the sugar chains of acid phosphatase have 1 approximately 3 glucose residues linked to the nonreducing terminal Man alpha 1----2 residue. The structural characteristics of the sugar moieties of the two enzymes indicate that they might be produced by the so-called "alternate pathway," in which lipid-linked Glc3 . Man5 . GlcNAc2 functions as an oligosaccharide donor.     

Change in the alpha-glucosidase activity of cattle muscle tissue during slow autolysis]

Changes in the alpha-glucosidase activity of the cattle muscular tissue (oxen eye muscle of loin) were evaluated during storage at 2 degrees. Under these conditions both lysosomal and extralysosomal alpha-glucosidase activities underwent no significant changes during a long period of time (12 days). Activity of lysosome-bound alpha-glucosidase was about 10% of total enzyme activity in the homogenate; the remaining part of alpha-glucosidase was contained outside lysosomes.     

A novel alpha-glucosidase from the moss Scopelophila cataractae

Scopelophila cataractae is a rare moss that grows on copper-containing soils. S. cataractae protonema was grown on basal MS medium containing copper. A starch-degrading activity was detected in homogenates of the protonema, after successive extraction with phosphate buffer and buffer containing 3 M LiCl. Buffer-soluble extract (BS) and LiCl-soluble extract (LS) readily hydrolyzed amylopectin to liberate only glucose, which shows that alpha-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.20) in BS and LS hydrolyzed amylopectin. The K(m) value of BS for maltose was 0.427. The K(m) value of BS for malto-oligosaccharide decreased with an increase in the molecular mass of the substrate. The value for maltohexaose was 0.106, which is about four-fold lower than that for maltose. BS was divided into two fractions of alpha-glucosidase (BS-1 and BS-2) by isoelectric focusing. The isoelectric points of these two enzymes were determined to be 4.36 (BS-1) and 5.25 (BS-2) by analytical gel electrofocusing. The two enzymes readily hydrolyzed malto-oligosaccharides. The two enzymes also hydrolyzed amylose, amylopectin and soluble starch at a rate similar to that with maltose. The two enzymes readily hydrolyzed panose to liberate glucose and maltose (1 : 1), and the K(m) value of BS for panose was similar to that for maltotriose, whereas the enzymes hydrolyzed isomaltose only weakly. With regard to substrate specificity, the two enzymes in BS are novel alpha-glucosidases. The two enzymes also hydrolyzed beta-limit dextrin, which has many alpha-1,6-glucosidic linkages near the non-reducing ends, more strongly than maltose, which shows that they do not need a debranching enzyme for starch digestion. The starch-degrading activity of BS was not inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid or alpha-amylase inhibitor. When amylopectin was treated with BS and LS in phosphate buffer, pH 6.0, glucose, but not glucose-1-phosphate, was detected, showing that the extracts did not contain phosphorylase but did contain an alpha-glucosidase. These results show that alpha-glucosidases should be capable of complete starch digestion by themselves in cells of S. cataractae.     

A specific acid alpha-glucosidase in lamellar bodies of the human lung

In the present investigation, we have demonstrated that three lysosomal-type hydrolases, alpha-glucosidase, alpha-mannosidase and a phosphatase, are present in lamellar bodies isolated from adult human lung. The hydrolase activities that were studied, all showed an acidic pH optimum, which is characteristic for lysosomal enzymes. The properties of acid alpha-glucosidase in the lamellar body fraction and that in the lysosome-enriched fraction were compared. Using specific antibodies against lysosomal alpha-glucosidase from human placenta, two alpha-glucosidases could be distinguished in the lamellar body fraction: one with a high affinity to the antibodies as found in the lysosome-enriched fraction and another with a much lower affinity. Both forms showed an acidic pH optimum. The same heterogeneity of alpha-glucosidase in the lamellar body fraction could be observed using immobilized concanavalin A. The lectin was able to precipitate nearly all alpha-glucosidase activity of the lysosome-enriched fraction. In contrast, 30% of the alpha-glucosidase activity in the lamellar body fraction was not precipitable. Furthermore, the lamellar body alpha-glucosidase with the low antibody affinity could not be bound to concanavalin A. The results suggest that lamellar bodies contain at least two acid alpha-glucosidases: one similar to the lung lysosomal alpha-glucosidase, and another lamellar body-specific isoenzyme with a different immunoreactivity and lectin affinity. The lamellar body-specific alpha-glucosidase should prove useful as a lamellar body-specific marker enzyme.     

Acid and neutral alpha-glucosidase in the reproductive organs and seminal plasma of the bull

A synthetic substrate (p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside) was used to measure the acid and neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in bull seminal plasma, spermatozoa and in homogenates of bull reproductive organs. Marked differences were observed in the activities of these enzymes in the various tissues studied. Epididymis and particularly its caput region contained the highest specific activity of acid alpha-glucosidase. The activity of neutral alpha-glucosidase was highest in testis and in different parts of the epididymis. Seminal plasma, spermatozoa and seminal vesicle secretion contained only the acid enzyme activity. After fractionation with anion exchange chromatography in HPLC (Mono Q) and chromatofocussing, acid alpha-glucosidase activity of seminal plasma was recovered in two fractions with different pI values. The corresponding activities were found in the secretion of seminal vesicles, which thus form the major secretory source of seminal plasma acid alpha-glucosidase. In the fractionation with gel filtration on Sepharose 6B, the acid alpha-glucosidase had a smaller molecular weight than did the neutral enzyme. In anion exchange chromatography and chromatofocussing the testicular and epididymal homogenates each contained two acid and two neutral isoenzymes. In both fractionations the elution pattern of acid alpha-glucosidase was clearly different from that of the enzymes in seminal plasma. The pH optimum of acid alpha-glucosidase ranged from 3.75 to 4.5 and that of the neutral enzyme from 6.5 to 7.0. The neutral activity was more sensitive to many divalent metal ions and differences were also observed in the response of the enzymes to different concentrations of turanose and KCl.     

Glucoamylase originating from Schwanniomyces occidentalis is a typical alpha-glucosidase

A starch-hydrolyzing enzyme from Schwanniomyces occidentalis has been reported to be a novel glucoamylase, but there is no conclusive proof that it is glucoamylase. An enzyme having the hydrolytic activity toward soluble starch was purified from a strain of S. occidentalis. The enzyme showed high catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) for maltooligosaccharides, compared with that for soluble starch. The product anomer was alpha-glucose, differing from glucoamylase as a beta-glucose producing enzyme. These findings are striking characteristics of alpha-glucosidase. The DNA encoding the enzyme was cloned and sequenced. The primary structure deduced from the nucleotide sequence was highly similar to mold, plant, and mammalian alpha-glucosidases of alpha-glucosidase family II and other glucoside hydrolase family 31 enzymes, and the two regions involved in the catalytic reaction of alpha-glucosidases were conserved. These were no similarities to the so-called glucoamylases. It was concluded that the enzyme and also S. occidentalis glucoamylase, had been already reported, were typical alpha-glucosidases, and not glucoamylase.     

Genetic heterogeneity in acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency.

Several clinical forms of acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency have been described. Our study was planned to identify differences at the molecular level in acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency. Of nine fibroblast strains derived from patients with the infantile form of the disease, eight were crossreacting material (CRM)-negative and one CRM-positive. This was demonstrated by both agar immunodiffusion and immunotitration. No difference in apparent enzymatic activity was observed between CRM-negative and CRM-positive infantile acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency fibroblasts. In two fibroblast strains with the adult form of acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency, rocket immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated a reduction in the amount of enzyme protein, which was directly proportional to the reduction in enzyme activity. In another fibroblast strain obtained from a patient with the adult form of the disease, the activity was within the range of the infantile form and no CRM could be identified. Fibroblasts with phenotype 2 of acid alpha-glucosidase, considered a normal variant, showed a reduction both in the amount of enzyme protein and in the ability of the enzyme to cleave glycogen. However, the catalytic activity for maltose was normal. The findings demonstrate extensive genetic heterogeneity in acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency. Molecular differences were identified both between the clinical forms of the disease and within the infantile and the adult forms of acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency. It remains unknown whether or not the enzyme deficiency in homozygotes for isozyme 2 of acid alpha-glucosidase will be sufficient to cause glycogen accumulation and lead to the development of muscular dystrophy-like disease later in life.     

Properties of lysosomal beta-hexosaminidase accumulated in Niemann-Pick mouse liver

Various lysosomal acid hydrolases from tissues of Niemann-Pick mice, a mutant strain of C57BL/KsJ mice (spm/spm), were examined and compared to those from control mice. Activities of beta-hexosaminidase, beta-galactosidase, acid phosphatase, and cathepsin L were elevated in the liver and spleen of the affected mice, whereas no significant changes in beta-glucosidase and acid alpha-glucosidase were observed. Alpha-Mannosidase and neutral alpha-glucosidase activities were rather decreased in the affected mouse liver. The level of beta-hexosaminidase in the Niemann-Pick mice was raised sixfold in the liver and two- to threefold in the spleen and brain, whereas its total activity was decreased in the kidney. Sixty to ninety percent of total activity of lysosomal hydrolases was solubilized with 0.1% Triton X-100 in control mice, but most of the beta-hexosaminidase activity of the Niemann-Pick mice remained associated with the membrane fraction of liver lysosomes. The beta-hexosaminidase of the Niemann-Pick mice was appreciably stable when heated at 55 degrees C, while hydrolases of the affected mice and all of the enzymes tested in control mice were heat labile. The relative content of two beta-hexosaminidase fractions separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography was 8% for beta-hexosaminidase I and 92% for beta-hexosaminidase II in the case of the control mouse liver. The isozyme pattern of hexosaminidases in Niemann-Pick mice was similar to that of control enzymes. However, the beta-hexosaminidase II accumulated in Niemann-Pick mouse liver was different from that of the control in optimum pH, Km values and thermostability.     

Localization and Characterization of alpha-Glucosidase Activity in Brettanomyces lambicus

Brettanomyces lambicus was isolated and identified from a typical overattenuating Belgian lambic beer and exhibited extracellular and intracellular alpha-glucosidase activities. Production of the intracellular enzyme was higher than production of the extracellular enzyme, and localization studies showed that the intracellular alpha-glucosidase is mostly soluble and partially cell wall bound. Both intracellular and extracellular enzymes were purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration (Sephadex G-150, Sephadex G-200, Ultrogel AcA-44), and ion-exchange chromatography (sulfopropyl-Sephadex C-50, (carboxymethyl-Sephadex C-50). The intracellular alpha-glucosidase exhibited optimum activity at 39 degrees C and pH 6.2. The extracellular enzyme exhibited optimum catalytic activity at 40 degrees C and pH 6.0. The molecular masses of purified intracellular and extracellular alpha-glucosidases, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, were 72,500 and 77,250, respectively. For both enzymes there was a decrease in the rate of hydrolysis with an increase in the degree of polymerization, and both enzymes hydrolyzed dextrins isolated from lambic wort (degrees of polymerization, 3 to 9 and more than 9). The K(m) values for p-nitrophenyl-alpha-d-glucopyranoside, maltose, and maltotriose for the intracellular enzyme were 0.9, 3.4, and 3.7 mM, respectively. The K(i) values for both enzymes were between 28.5 and 57 muM for acarbose and between 7.45 and 15.7 mM for Tris. These enzymes are probably involved in the overattenuation of spontaneously fermented lambic beer.     

Intracellular transport of acid alpha-glucosidase in human fibroblasts: evidence for involvement of phosphomannosyl receptor-independent system

Intracellular transport of two lysosomal enzymes, acid alpha-glucosidase and beta-hexosaminidase, was analyzed in human fibroblasts. The precursors of beta-hexosaminidase in normal fibroblasts were released from the membrane fraction by treatment with mannose 6-phosphate, but the precursor of alpha-glucosidase was not. Percoll density gradient centrifugation revealed a normal amount of acid alpha-glucosidase activity in heavy lysosomes in I-cell disease fibroblasts despite impaired maturation and defective phosphorylation, and beta-hexosaminidase activity was markedly reduced in lysosomes. It was concluded that the membrane-bound precursor of acid alpha-glucosidase is transported to lysosomes by a phosphomannosyl receptor-independent system although the enzyme lacks the recognition marker for the phosphomannosyl receptor and processing of an intermediate form to mature forms does not occur in this disease.