Kinetics of enzymic hydrolysis of malto-oligosaccharides: A comparison with acid hydrolysis

The hydrolysis of malto-oligosaccharides G₃-G₆ catalysed by porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase was investigated kinetically at 25°. Kinetic parameters corresponding to different positions of enzymic attack were determined and product inhibition was evaluated. The enzymic hydrolysis was compared in terms of reaction rate and pattern of action with hydrolysis in 0.1m H₂SO₄ at 70°. Mathematical models for the mechanism of hydrolysis were developed and a good rationalisation of the experimental results was achieved.     

Intracellular hydrolysis of EGTA-esters

It has been established that the hydrolysis of EGTA-acetoxymethylester (AME) by red blood cells is about the tenth of the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine (Ac-S-Ch). This splitting of AME could be inhibited by about 50% by prostigmine at a concentration of 0.75 X 10(-5) mol/l, while the splitting of Ac-S-Ch was totally inhibited by the same prostigmine concentration. The hydrolysis of AME by the so-called white-ghost preparation was considerably inhibited by prostigmine (KI = 5 X 10(-8) mol/l), and this inhibition proved to be a competitive one. The splitting of AME by membrane-free cytosol fraction could not be inhibited by prostigmine. Human red blood cells do not hydrolyse EGTA-ethylester (EE). This compound decomposes spontaneously at room-temperature, its reaction-product formed in the Hestrin-reaction is unstable, the developed colour gradually turns pale. On the other hand, AME does not hydrolyse spontaneously at room-temperature and the colour-intensity of its Hestrin-reaction does not decrease with time. Using chelator-and dye-indicator esters to reach different concentrations of free chelators and dye-indicators intracellulary (IC), the extracellular hydrolysis of esters has to be taken into account or this external breakdown has to be inhibited.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of molasses

Kinetic studies of the enzymatic hydrolysis of molasses were conducted using glucoamylase. Central Sugar Refinery SDN BHD contains 13-20% glucose. The molasses was diluted and the kinetic experiments were conducted at 67 degrees C with 100-1000 mg/l of glucoamylase. The glucose contents of the molasses were enhanced after hydrolysis of molasses solution with 1000 mg/l glucoamylase. A Lineweaver-Burk plot was obtained based on enzyme kinetic data. The rate constant, Km and maximum reaction rate, Vmax for 500 mg/l of glucoamylase were 100 mmol/l (18 g/l) and 5 mmol/l min (0.9 g/l min), respectively. The maximum reaction rate, Vmax for 1000 mg/l of glucoamylase was doubled, to 100 mmol/l (18 g/l) and the rate constant, Km was the same for 500 mg/l of glucoamylase. The substrate inhibition model was noncompetitive based on the resulting Lineweaver-Burk plot for enzyme concentration of 500 and 1000 mg/l.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of alpha-chitin

It was shown that the enzymatic preparation Celloviridin G20x can be used for the hydrolysis of alpha-chitin of various origin. The purity of the final product of hydrolysis, N-acetylglucosamine, was monitored using HPLC.     

Partial acid hydrolysis of cellulosic materials as a pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis

Partial acid hydrolysis was studied as a per treatment to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis, such a pretreatment was carried out in a continuous flow reactor on oak corn Stover, newsprint, and Solka Floc at temperatures ranging from 160 to 220°C, acid concentration ranging from 0 to 1.2%, and a fixed treatment time of 0.22 min. The resulting slurries and solids were than hydrolyzed with Trichoderma ressei QM 9414 cellulase at 50°C for 48 hr. For all substrates except Solka Floc, increased glucose yields were achieved during enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated materials as compared to hydrolysis of the original substrate. In several cases, after pretreatment, 100° of the potential glucose content of the substrate was converted to glucose after 24hr of enzymatic hydrolysis. It is felt that the increased glucose yields achieved after this pretreatment are due to acid's removal of hemicellulose, reduced degree of polymerization, and possibly due to a change in the crystal structure of the cellulose.     

The nonenzymatic hydrolysis of oligoribonucleotides. VII. Structural elements affecting hydrolysis

Several elements of oligoribonucleotide structure are important for efficient hydrolysis. We have found that the following factors influence oligoribonucleotide hydrolysis: (i) single-stranded structure of RNA flanking the scissile phosphodiester bond, (ii) the substituent on atom C-5 of the uridine adjacent to the cleaved internucleotide bond, (iii) the position of the scissile UA phosphodiester bond within a hairpin loop, (iv) the concentration of formamide, urea, ethanol and sodium chloride.     

Lanthanide-mediated DNA hydrolysis

Lanthanide ions are remarkably effective catalysts for the hydrolytic cleavage of phosphate ester bonds, including the robust bonds of DNA. This makes Ln(III) and Ce(IV) ions attractive candidates for developing selective and efficient artificial nucleases, which could have many biochemical and clinical applications. Both small-molecule-based and biopolymer-based lanthanide complexes are being pursued.     

Thermodynamics of hydrolysis of oligosaccharides

Microcalorimetry has been used to determine enthalpy changes for the hydrolysis of a series of oligosaccharides. High-pressure liquid chromatography was used to determine the extents of reaction and to check for any possible side reactions. The enzyme glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase was used to bring about the following hydrolysis reactions: (A) maltose(aq) + H2O(liq) = 2D-glucose(aq); (B) maltotriose(aq) + 2H2O(liq) = 3D-glucose(aq); (C) maltotetraose(aq) + 3H2O(liq) = 4D-glucose(aq); (D) maltopentaose(aq) + 4H2O(liq) = 5D-glucose(aq); (E) maltohexaose(aq) + 5H2O(liq) = 6D-glucose(aq); (F) maltoheptaose(aq) + 6H2O(liq) = 7D-glucose(aq); (G) amylose(aq) + nH2O(liq) = (n + 1) D-glucose(aq); and (H) panose(aq) + 2H2O(liq) = 3D-glucose(aq); (J) isomaltotriose(aq) + 2H2O(liq) = 3D-glucose(aq). The enzyme beta-fructofuranosidase was used for the reactions: (K) raffinose(aq) + H2O(liq) = alpha-D-melibiose(aq) + D-fructose(aq); and (L) stachyose(aq) + H2O(liq) = o-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----6)- alpha-o-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----6)-alpha-D-glucopyranose + D-fructose(aq). The results of the calorimetric measurements (298.15 K, 0.1 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 4.44-6.00) are: delta H0A = -4.55 +/- 0.10, delta H0B = -9.03 +/- 0.10, delta H0C = -13.79 +/- 0.15, delta H0D = -18.12 +/- 0.10, delta H0E = -22.40 +/- 0.15, delta H0F = -26.81 +/- 0.20, delta H0H = 1.46 +/- 0.40, delta H0J = 11.4 +/- 2.0, delta H0K = -15.25 +/- 0.20, and delta H0L = -14.93 +/- 0.20 kJ mol-1. The enthalpies of hydrolysis of two different samples of amylose were 1062 +/- 20 and 2719 +/- 100 kJ mol-1, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)