The hydrolysis of glycosyl fluorides by glycosidases. Determination of the anomeric configuration of the products of glycosidase action

The enzymic hydrolysis of glycosyl fluorides is conveniently followed by using a pH-stat. Reactions involving glucosyl or galactosyl fluorides can also be followed by using glucose oxidase or galactose oxidase respectively. The pH-stat allows the rapid assay of intestinal alpha-glucosidase in crude homogenates. Use of glycosyl fluorides as substrates for glycosidases facilitates the polarimetric or g.l.c. determination of the anomeric nature of the initial product of hydrolysis. Hydrolysis by fungal amyloglucosidase proceeds with inversion of configuration whereas that by yeast and rat intestinal alpha-glucosidase, coffee-bean alpha-galactosidase and almond emulsin beta-glucosidase proceeds with retention of configuration. beta-d-Glucopyranosyl azide was not a detectable substrate for almond emulsin beta-d-glucosidase.