A new, sensitive method for enzyme kinetic studies of scarce glucosides

The maize beta-glucosidase Zm-p60.1 is important for the regulation of plant development through its role in the targeted release of free cytokinins from cytokinin-O-glucosides, their inactive storage forms. Enzyme kinetics studies using these scarce substrates close to physiological concentrations are difficult due to two reasons: (a) Available methods are mainly suited for end-point kinetics. (b) These methods are not sufficiently sensitive when using scarce glucoside substrates. We developed a glucose assay using a system comprising three enzymes beta-glucosidase, glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase, with the new substrate N-acetyl-3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazine-Amplex Ultra Red reagent (Molecular Probes). A calibration curve was constructed for resorufin and validation was carried out by comparing our method with the standard spectrophotometric method using p-nitrophenyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside. In comparison with the other methods, this method is more sensitive, precise and accurate. The assay is rapid and hence suited for continuous kinetics, it is readily adapted to suit automated procedures, and potential applications include its use in studying the physiological role(s) of enzymes that cleave scarce glucoside substrates.