The action pattern of Penicillium lilacinum dextranase

The product distributions resulting from the action of Penicillium lilacinum dextranase on end-labelled oligosaccharides of the isomaltose series have been determined. The initial rates of formation of labelled products were measured for isomaltotriose up to isomalto-octaose, and the molar proportions and radioactivity of the final products from isomaltotriose up to isomaltohexaose were determined. D-Glucose was released only from isomaltotriose and isomaltotetraose, by hydrolysis of the first linkage from the reducing end (linkage 1); the terminal bonds of higher members of the series were not attacked. All oligosaccharides except isomaltotriose were hydrolyzed at more than one linkage. The main points of attack on isomaltotetraose up to isomalto-octaose were at linkage 2, and at the third linkage from the non-reducing end; these two positions coincide for isomaltopentaose. The degradation of isomaltotriose up to isomalto-octaose was entirely hydrolytic. The enzyme also catalyzed an extremely slow, concentration-dependent degradation of isomaltose, and this may have occurred via a condensation to isomaltotetraose, followed by hydrolysis of linkage 1 to give D-glucose and isomaltotriose.