Specific Determination of alpha-Amylase Activity in Crude Plant Extracts Containing beta-Amylase

The specific measurement of alpha-amylase activity in crude plant extracts is difficult because of the presence of beta-amylases which directly interfere with most assay methods. Methods compared in this study include heat treatment at 70 degrees C for 20 min, HgCl(2) treatment, and the use of the alpha-amylase specific substrate starch azure. In comparing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), and malted barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), the starch azure assay was the only satisfactory method for all tissues. While beta-amylase can liberate no color alone, over 10 International units per milliliter beta-amylase activity has a stimulatory effect on the rate of color release. This stimulation becomes constant (about 4-fold) at beta-amylase activities over 1,000 International units per milliliter. Two starch azure procedures were developed to eliminate beta-amylase interference: (a) the dilution procedure, the serial dilution of samples until beta-amylase levels are below levels that interfere; (b) the beta-amylase saturation procedure, addition of exogenous beta-amylase to increase endogenous beta-amylase activity to saturating levels. Both procedures yield linear calibrations up to 0.3 International units per milliliter. These two procedures produced statistically identical results with most tissues, but not for all tissues. Differences between the two methods with some plant tissues was attributed to inaccuracy with the dilution procedure in tissues high in beta-amylase activity or inhibitory effects of the commercial beta-amylase. The beta-amylase saturation procedure was found to be preferable with most species. The heat treatment was satisfactory only for malted barley, as alpha-amylases in alfalfa and soybeans are heat labile. Whereas HgCl(2) proved to be a potent inhibitor of beta-amylase activity at concentrations of 10 to 100 micromolar, these concentrations also partially inhibited alpha-amylase in barley malt. The reported alpha-amylase activities in crude enzyme extracts from a number of plant species are apparently the first specific measurements reported for any plant tissues other than germinating cereals.