A NEW α-GLUCANASE: MYCODEXTRANASE

Abstract

Mycodextranase is an α-glucanase which splits only the α-1,4 linkages in a substrate having alternating α-1,3 and α-1,4 links. It ïs a fungal enzyme of rather infrequent occurrence, adaptive in nature, and in its properties strongly resembling other fungal glucanases. The products of its action on mycodextran are a tetramer and nigerose. The hypothesis is advanced that this glucanase, and others, contain a site which binds a dimeric portion of the polymer; in mycodextranase, the bound dimer is nigerose, the α-1,3-disaccharide.