Amylases of Clostridium butyricum and a Streptococcus isolated from the rumen of the sheep

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Abstract
Starch-degrading enzymes were isolated in the form of stable freeze-dried powders from cell-free filtrates of cultures of sheep rumen strains of C. butyricum and a Streptococcus grown in media containing dissolved starch. The enzymes are alpha-amylases. The 2 enzymes were shown to differ in the extents of conversion of starch and starch fractions to reducing sugars. The branch linkages in amylopectin act as obstructions to both enzymes. The presence in the enzyme prepns. of beta-amylase, maltase, invertase, phosphatase or Q and R-enzymes could not be detected, but small traces of phosphorylase were present. Maltose and maltotriose with some glucose are the main end products of the hydrolysis of amylose by these enzymes. Neither amylase hydrolyses these sugars, but maltotetraose is degraded by both enzymes. A simple method for detn. of alpha-amylase activity is descr.