THE AMYLASES OF PSEUDOMONAS SACCHAROPHILA

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Abstract
P. saccharophila produces 2 amylases, one extracellular, the other intracellular. Their formation is induced by growth with soluble starch, glycogen, amylopectin, or maltose as C source. Cellobiose induces intracellular activity only. Cells grown at the expense of other compounds produce very small amts. of both enzymes. The extracellular amylase is of the dextrinogenic or alpha-amylase type, hydrolyzing amyloid substrates principally to oligosaccharides, which include an insoluble straight chain dextrin of 8 glucose units. The amts. of maltose and glucose produced are small. Prepns. of the intracellular enzyme hydrolyze amyloid substrates almost entirely to maltose and glucose. This activity is probably caused by the combined action of 2 or more enzymes, including an amylase of the saccharogenic (beta-amylase) type. Only the extracellular enzyme is adsorbed by potato starch. It may be eluted therefrom with a soln. of soluble starch. A method for purifying the enzyme, based on this observation, is descr. The 2 enzymes differ in their effects on the I-staining properties of soluble starch. Both enzymes show max. activity at pH values near 5.4.