ACTION OF AMYLOLYTIC AND PULLULYTIC ENZYMES FROM VARIOUS ANAEROBIC THERMOPHILES ON LINEAR AND BRANCHED GLUCOSE POLYMERS

A detailed study has been conducted on the action of starch hydrolyzing enzymes from thermophilic anaerobic bacteria belonging to the genera Clostridium, Thermoanaerobacter and Thermobacteroides. The appearance of multiple bands on polyacrylamide gels with amylolytic as well as pullulytic activities was shown to be a general feature of bacteria investigated. Analysis of the hydrolysis products of each protein band clearly demonstrated the capability of these organisms to hydrolyze α‐1,4‐glycosidic bonds in linear oligosaccharides and α‐1,6‐glycosidic linkages in pullulan. Furthermore, the enzyme system of thermophilic bacteria investigated was also capable of attacking the α‐1,6‐linkages in branched oligosaccharides. Due to the action of these thermoactive enzymes with multiple specificity an almost complete hydrolysis of raw starch and maltodextrin could be achieved under the same conditions and in one step. Copyright © 1990 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim