Transgalactosylation activity of sweet almond α-galactosidase: Synthesis of saccharides

Sweet almond α-galactosidase (α-d-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.22) catalyses hydrolytic, synthetic (de novo) and transfer reactions. Transfer products were formed using p-nitrophenyl α-d-galactoside as the galactosyl donor and glucose, galactose, sucrose, maltose and lactose as acceptors; several of the products were identified. The enzyme also caused elongation of the oligosaccharide chain of two substrates (melibiose and raffinose). In addition, the enzyme catalysed condensation of free galactose, yielding oligosaccharides. The products were identified in all cases by chromatography.